Abstract
BackgroundIn many developing countries nutritional, and epidemiological transitions are emerging into continuing undernutrition and escalating overnutrition, giving rise to the double burden of the malnutrition phenomenon.ObjectivesThis study aims to determine the prevalence of the dual form of malnutrition (overweight mother/underweight child) in the same household and its associated factors in the Gaza Strip.MethodsA total of 357 mother-child pairs from the same households were surveyed from three different geographical locations in the Gaza Strip, namely, El Remal urban area, Jabalia refugee camp, and Al Qarara rural area. The height and weight of mothers aged 18–50 years were measured, and their body mass index (BMI) was computed. The mothers were categorized according to the criterion of the World Health Organization (WHO) for BMI as overweight if they have a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Anthropometric indices were measured for children aged two to five years to classify the underweight children Z-score <-1.ResultsThe results showed the prevalence of the dual form of malnutrition in the Gaza Strip was 15.7%, and its associated factors were child’s birth order (ORadj, 1.50, 95% CL, 1.22, 1.82; p = <0.001), father’s educational (low or medium) levels (ORadj, 3.19, 95% CL, 1.07, 9.5; p = 0. 036), or (ORadj, 3.4, 95% CL, 1.12, 10.37; p = 0. 031), high scores of mothers' nutrition knowledge (ORadj, 1.23, 95% CL, 1.01, 1.52; p = 0. 048), and low monthly income (ORadj, 0.28, 95% CL, 0.09, 0.88; p = 0. 030).ConclusionsThe results from this study showed the dual form of malnutrition in the same household was prevalent in the Gaza Strip. This is a public health issue that must be understood and addressed and policy makers must implement an appropriate nutrition action plan to control dual form of malnutrition based on the underlying specific risk factors in the study population. In addition, interventions are needed to help individuals to translate their nutrition knowledge into healthy dietary behaviors.
Highlights
In developing countries nutrition transition is a continuous process that occurs in all societies as patterns of food consumption and physical activity change over time [1]
This study aims to determine the prevalence of the dual form of malnutrition in the same household and its associated factors in the Gaza Strip
The results showed the prevalence of the dual form of malnutrition in the Gaza Strip was 15.7%, and its associated factors were child’s birth order (ORadj, 1.50, 95% CL, 1.22, 1.82; p =
Summary
In developing countries nutrition transition is a continuous process that occurs in all societies as patterns of food consumption and physical activity change over time [1]. Nutrition transition is characterized by a transition from traditional diets, which mostly derive from plant-based food sources requiring high labour intensity, toward more varied diets containing more refined, energy dense, animal based and processed food which are generally high in sugar and fat and low in carbohydrate content [2] These dietary changes are accompanied by decreasing physical activity in the form of walking or cycling and increasing sedentary time in offices [3]. Recent evidence indicates that an underweight child and an overweight mother may coexist in close proximity These conditions may occur at national, community and even household levels [8]. The most common combination of dual burden households observed was paradoxically underweight children and overweight mothers [9]. In many developing countries nutritional, and epidemiological transitions are emerging into continuing undernutrition and escalating overnutrition, giving rise to the double burden of the malnutrition phenomenon
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