Publication:

Determinants of severe acute malnutrition in children between six months to five year of age enrolled in nutritional rehabilitation centre at a tertiary care level

Background Indicators showing levels of nutritional status in children are often regarded as representative of the health and general well-being of a society at large. Malnutrition stands as a consequence of several key social and economic factors such as lack of education, inadequate health care services and ill-informed cultural behaviors.  In order to holistically address the issues surrounding malnutrition, a comprehensive understanding of the multi-dimensional complexities at play in society is crucial. Objective was to identify determinants of severe acute malnutrition among children with severe acute malnutrition under 5 years (between 6 months to 60 months) of age.

Methods A cross sectional study design involving 64 patients with severe acute malnutrition between 6 to 60 month of age was employed to identify the risk factors of severe acute malnutrition among children admitted in pediatric wards and nutritional rehabilitation centers, Civil hospital Ahmedabad, from April 2018 to march 2019. A detailed history of all the patients were taken and data collected using structured interviewer-administered questionnaire.

Results Thus, from the above study, it is clear  that age of the child <2 years, female gender, bigger family size, poverty, illiteracy in mother, poor feeding practices, improper complementary feed introduction, poor nutritional status of mother whose child were breastfed, acute or chronic illness in child and narrow birth spacing were the chief determinants of SAM in under five children.

Conclusions Socio demographic characters, nutrition and child caring practices, infection and other childhood illness as well as obstetric history of mother are important determinants of severe acute malnutrition in children under five years of age. As a result, collaborative efforts should be organized to improve promotion of better child caring practices through appropriate age specific child and maternal feeding practices, prevention and early treatment of acute childhood illnesses and promotion of family planning.