Abstract:
An attempt was made to explore the predictors of child chronic malnutrition using the data of nationwide Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2004. The malnutrition status was measured according to the anthropometric indices and the analysis was carried out considering the groups of causes according to the UNICEF modified conceptual framework (basic, underlying, immediate and temporal). Logistic regression models were developed to identify the basic, underlying, immediate and temporal predictors according to the framework, and finally a combined model was developed using the significant predictors from the preceding four models. The prevalence of child chronic malnutrition was found high (43%) in Bangladesh with 16.4% severely stunted. The findings indicate that child age, region, birth order and birth interval, mother's education, wealth status, number of sleeping room, family size and cooking place were the basic predictors. Food insecurity status, maternal care and receiving colostrums were identified as underlying predictors; child feeding practices, receiving vitamin-A capsule by mother, acute respiratory infection (ARI) and incidence of diarrhoea were immediate predictors; mother’s body mass index (BMI) and age at birth were temporal predictors. Final model indicates that chronic malnutrition was widely prevalent among the children belonging to Barisal division, ages 12-23 months, lower birth interval, households having large size, less sleeping room, poor wealth index, internal cooking place and mothers who were illiterate, thin, and insufficient maternal care recipients.
Page(s):
137-155
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Proceedings of Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Volume: 45, Issue: 3, Year: 2008