Risk factors of malnutrition among preschool children in Sulaimani governorate/Iraq

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of childhood malnutrition is relatively high among children in developing nations, and it is a multifaceted problem. It is necessary to identify the key contributing factors to malnutrition in the target population in order to put control and prevention measures in place and lower the chances of malnutrition. The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of undernourished children under the age of five and the risk factors causing malnutrition, in Sulaimani governorate/Iraq. Methods: A case control study was conducted in the maternal and child health clinics in four health centers of Sulaimani, Iraq from October 2021 to April 2022.Case was a child with moderate to severe malnutrition with z-scores < −2SD and > +2SD from the median of WHO reference. Control was a child without malnutrition with z-scores between -2SD and +2SD and the age matched with cases. Direct interviews with the mother of each child were conducted, and the weight and height of each child were measured. We gathered information on socioeconomic features, environmental aspects, child characteristics, caregiver methods and resources. Results: A total of 293 children (74 cases and 219 controls) were selected. The majority (34.8 and 79.1%) of the children in the study were in the age group of 24-35 to 12-23 months in case and control groups respectively. After adjusting all confounders, Mother Visit to ANC during pregnancy and method of child delivery are two of childhood significant associations with malnutrition. Conclusion: promoting birth spacing and utilization of parental visit to health centers is the need of the hour for preventing the occurrence of malnutrition among preschool children. Because of the mother visit to ANC centers and family planning were some of the significant determinants of malnutrition that were found in the study.