Abstract
<i>Introduction</i>: The SMART survey (2017) in the Far North region, Cameroon presents high prevalence of malnutrition: 4.5% of global acute malnutrition (GAM) and 40.9% of chronic malnutrition (CM). <i>Objectives</i>: To examine the relationship between multidimensional poverty and malnutrition among children under-five in the Mayo-Danay Division. Specifically, assess the nutritional status of children, describe the living conditions of children in households and measure the association between multidimensional poverty and nutritional status of children. <i>Methods</i>: A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study was conducted on a cluster sample at two levels. Anthropometric measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of children. The non-monetary, simplified approach, based on the search for deprivation indices of the well-being of children in the household was used. <i>Results</i>: Out of 433 children surveyed, we observed: 4.4% GAM; 13.9% of underweight and 23.3% MC. Out of the 65,82% poor children, 13,59% had chronic malnutrition; 2.09% GAM and 15.00% underweight. Multidimensional poverty among children was associated with the CM (OR = 4, 436; (CI = 2, 767 - 7,111) and GAM (OR = 4, 194; (CI = 1, 514 - 11,416). <i>Conclusion</i>: The study highlights the interaction between the living conditions of children in households and the impact on their nutritional status. Multidimensional poverty is associated with malnutrition in children. We recommend to initiate a simulation and comparison study, of poverty reduction scenarios, in the study area.
Highlights
The SMART survey (2017) in the Far North region, Cameroon presents high prevalence of malnutrition: 4.5% of global acute malnutrition (GAM) and 40.9% of chronic malnutrition (CM)
The results of our study showed malnutrition prevalence (4.4%) close to those published by UNICEF in SMART surveys of 2017 (4.5%) in the far North region [4]
Exclusive breastfeeding was 29.67% in the Mayo-Danay Division, this proportion is not very far from that found by DHS of 2011 [6] in Cameroon (20%), the recent surveys show an improvement in the proportion of exclusively breastfed children at national level that is, 40% according to DHS (2017) [15]
Summary
The SMART survey (2017) in the Far North region, Cameroon presents high prevalence of malnutrition: 4.5% of global acute malnutrition (GAM) and 40.9% of chronic malnutrition (CM). Assess the nutritional status of children, describe the living conditions of children in households and measure the association between multidimensional poverty and nutritional status of children. The health of children is an indicator of the standard of living of households. It is influenced by the environmental, economical, sociocultural and biological characteristics of parents [1]. In Cameroon, Mayo-Danay is the poorest Division in the far North region, with an incidence of poverty of 87.5% [2]. This Division is often a victim of repeated floods, undermining the stability of its economy. Most of the products imported into the region come from Nigeria, among others: yams, wheat flour, potato, sorghum, orange fruit, cowpea, bean, garlic, pasta, soft drink, sugar, peanut seed, goats, rice... [3]
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