Prevalence of malnutrition in children in Narsingdi district, Bangladesh: An observational study

Abstract

Background: A pathological condition called malnutrition arises when there is a relative or absolute lack or excess of one or more nutrients. In low-income nations, it is a serious public health issue for children under ten years. Malnutrition is a state of nutritional deficit brought on by insufficient consumption of protein or energy. Primary acute malnutrition in children is a prevalent condition in underdeveloped nations due to insufficient food supply resulting from social, economic, and environmental causes. An underlying illness that results in aberrant nutritional loss, increased energy expenditure, or decreased food intake is typically the cause of secondary acute malnutrition. Method: This was an observational, descriptive study conducted in Bangladesh's Narsingdi area from September to October 2023. All records of children with complications of malnutrition, between the ages of 2 and 10 were included in the study. Result: 142 children fall in the category of underweight, 166 children possess suitable BMI and 8 of them were heavyweight with BMI more than 23. Nearly one third of the children faces physical problems some times in their life time. Among all of the children 139 (43.98%) had perfect physical status with good health and diarrhea is the most common problem they caught by 118 respondents. Conclusion: In the district, its severity and prevalence can be decreased with increased community knowledge and stronger preventive efforts.