Undernutrition before two years in Algeria: Repeated cross-sectional analyses (2012-13 to 2018-19)

Abstract

Background Algeria has made significant progress in addressing childhood undernutrition. Despite improvements, nearly 12% of Algerian children under five years of age suffered from stunting in 2022. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of three indicators of undernutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight) and their associated variables in children aged 0–23 months in Algeria between 2013 and 2019. Methods Pooled data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) (2012-13 and 2018-19) covering 14,498 children were used. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to test the associations. Results Stunting decreased significantly, but wasting and being underweight showed no significant reductions from 2013 to 2019. Stunting, wasting, and underweight decreased by 2.2%, 1.3%, and 0.3%, respectively, with an overall prevalence of 10.1%, 5.4%, and 3.6%, respectively. Factors associated with undernutrition included child age and small size at birth, whereas stunting was linked to the poorest households, male children, higher maternal body mass index (BMI), and low antenatal care (ANC) visits. Wasting was associated with younger age and paternal age, fewer maternal ANC visits, underweight male sex, low maternal education, high maternal BMI, and delayed breastfeeding initiation. Conclusion Public health experts and stakeholders must adopt a comprehensive community-centered approach to achieve long-term improvements in child nutrition in Algeria. This strategy should focus on key factors including high maternal BMI, low maternal education, male children, and infrequent ANC visits. This action can help Algeria progress towards achieving the UN’s goal of eradicating malnutrition.