Factors associated with malnutrition among children

Abstract

To assess the factors associated with malnutrition among children <5 years in Burkina Faso. This study was based on secondary analysis of cross-sectional population-based data from Burkina-Faso Demographic Health Surveys 2010. This study was carried out in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The participants were 6337 children <5 years and their mothers. Demographic characteristics, child nutrition and health status, and maternal and household information were collected. Survey-specific SAS procedures for weighting, clustering and stratification in the survey design were used. The distribution of different nutritional status, such as underweight, stunting and wasting and the effects of risk factors on malnutrition was analyzed. Out of 6337 children <5 years, 51.0% of children were male and 57.8% of children had an average size at birth. There were 15.6, 21.5 and 10.6% of children who recently suffered from diarrhea, fever and acute respiratory infection, respectively. Child sex, age, size at birth, child morbidity, mother's education and body mass index and household wealth index were significantly associated with undernutrition among children <5 years in Burkina Faso. In addition to the improvement of household wealth index, more health and nutritional education for mothers should be implemented by the government to improve health and nutritional status of children <5 years in Burkina Faso.