Underweight and associated factors among children under age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries: hierarchical analysis of demographic and health survey data
Current Language EN
English English Türkçe Türkçe Español Español Português Português Pусский Pусский Filipino Filipino Tiếng Việt Tiếng Việt हिन्दी हिन्दी العربية العربية বাংলা বাংলা Deutsch Deutsch 中文 中文

Underweight and associated factors among children under age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries: hierarchical analysis of demographic and health survey data

Tamir, Tadesse Tarik; Zegeye, Alebachew Ferede; Workneh, Belayneh Shetie; Mekonen, Enyew Getaneh
Frontiers in public health 2024 Vol. 12
37
tamir2024underweight

Abstract

IntroductionGlobally, nearly half of all deaths among children under the age of five are linked to undernutrition. These tragic outcomes are most prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The far-reaching impact of malnutrition affects not only individuals but also their families, communities, and entire nations. By examining underweight, we gain valuable insights into the intricate network of factors influencing child health. Therefore, this study aims to assess underweight prevalence and its associated factors among under-five children in low and lower-middle-income African countries.MethodWe conducted a secondary analysis of standard demographic and health surveys in 30 low and lower-middle-income African countries spanning from 2012 to 2022. Our analysis included a total sample of 200,655 children under the age of 5 years. We employed a three-level hierarchical model to assess the determinants of underweight among children in this age group. Measures of association were evaluated using adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval. Explanatory variables with a p-value less than the level of significance (0.05) were considered statistically significant.ResultThe pooled prevalence of underweight among children under the age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries was estimated at 17.60%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 17.44 to 17.77%. The hierarchical analysis identified several factors significantly associated with underweight, including male gender, birth size, maternal body mass index, maternal educational level, household wealth index, antenatal care (ANC) visits, community poverty level, and income level of countries.ConclusionThe high prevalence of underweight among children under the age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries underscores the need for targeted interventions. By addressing individual, community, and country-level factors, we can work toward improving child nutrition and well-being.

Keywords

analysis Children data income survey health hierarchical underweight factors african under demographic among associated countries: five lower-middle

Access

DOI:
10.3389/fpubh.2024.1423603
URL:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1423603

Citation

ID: 283617
Ref Key: tamir2024underweight
Use this key to autocite in SciMatic or Thesis Manager

References

References

No Bibliography

Blockchain Verification

Account:
NFT Contract Address:
0x95644003c57E6F55A65596E3D9Eac6813e3566dA
Article ID:
283617
Unique Identifier:
10.3389/fpubh.2024.1423603
Network:
Scimatic Chain (ID: 481)
Blockchain Readiness Checklist
Authors
Abstract
Journal Name
Year
Title
5/5
Creates 1,000,000 NFT tokens for this article
Token Features:
  • ERC-1155 Standard NFT
  • 1 Million Supply per Article
  • Transferable via MetaMask
  • Permanent Blockchain Record
Blockchain QR Code
Scan with Saymatik Web3.0 Wallet
Gas fees required in SCI Coins
Buy SCI

Saymatik Web3.0 Wallet

Google Play
App Store