ArticleBMC public health2024
Malnutrition in children under five years in a squatter settlement of Karachi: a case-control study.
Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.
- Associated factors with malnutrition among children under-5 years old in Somaliland: evidence from Somaliland health and demographic survey of 2020.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Development and implementation of "BMC digital health · 2026Article
- Assessing the relative significance of key risk factors for child undernutrition in Punjab, Pakistan.BMC public health · 2025Article
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3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMultidimensional factors such as socioeconomic or environmental factors influence malnutrition. Several studies have strongly linked malnutrition to poverty. Some international studies point to the worse nutritional status of urban slum children than rural children. Limited data is available regarding the nutritional status of slum children in Karachi. This study aimed to determine characteristics of malnourished children in an urban squatter settlement in Karachi, Pakistan.
methodsA case- control study was carried out at the primary healthcare center of a squatter settlement in Karachi, Pakistan. All children under five years of age visiting the primary healthcare center were recruited consecutively. Cases were defined as children with z scores < -2 SD of WHO reference measurements of WFA, HFA, WFH and OFC. The controls were similar in terms of age group but had z scores between - 2SD and + 2SD. A self- structured risk factor questionnaire that included information about sociodemographic, economic and environmental factors as well as child- related characteristics was researcher administered via face-to-face interviews with the mothers of children. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated with 95% confidence interval.
resultsA total of 280 participants including 140 cases and 140 controls participated in the study. A larger proportion of the sample originated from individuals with low household income. After adjusting for the confounders, childhood malnutrition was significantly associated with a low education level of father (aOR 4.86, 95% CI 2.23-10.60), a monthly income less than 25,000 PKR (89 USD) per month (aOR 7.13, 95% CI 1.67-30.54), pour pit latrine type of toilet (aOR 4.41, 95% CI 2.67-7.3), less than six months of exclusive breast feeding (aOR 3.578, CI 1.58-8.08), inappropriate weaning age (aOR 3.71, 95% CI 1.53-9).
conclusionMalnutrition in children under five years of age in the community is associated with low family income, low paternal education, poor toilet facilities, lack of exclusive breastfeeding and inappropriate weaning age. The implementation of poverty reduction programs, sanitation provision at affordable rates, community-based breast feeding and weaning education intervention are urgently required to efficiently improve children's nutritional status.
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