Prevalence and determinants of severe malnutrition among children under five in aspirational districts of India.

backgroundEven with significant strides in technology, medicine, and science, the burden of malnutrition continues to weigh heavily on children, particularly in developing nations like India. This issue of malnutrition is particularly acute in developing and underdeveloped countries, including India. While India has made progress in reducing child malnutrition, severe malnutrition (acute and chronic) remains a critical public health concern, especially in regions like the Aspirational Districts (ADs), which are more resource-deficient regions.

methodThis study used data from the National Family Health Survey-5(NFHS-5) to examine the prevalence and predictors of severe malnutrition among children under five years in both ADs and non-ADs. Thedescriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used andwe examined how residence in ADs influences the likelihood of severe malnutrition, accounting for socio-economic, demographic, household, and parental factors. The novelty of this study lies in addressing a critical research gap by examining all three severe malnutrition indicators: severe wasting(SW), severe stunting (SS), and severe underweight(SU), simultaneously and comparing their prevalence between ADs and non-ADs. This approach provides crucial evidence on the state of child malnutrition in resource-limited regions.

resultsThe study revealed that children in ADs have increased odds of SS, SW, and SU after accounting for different factors. Children who were male, had low birth weight, were of higher birth order, were anemic, experienced diarrheal episodes, resided in rural areas, had mothers with no education, belonged to poor wealth status, belonged to Scheduled Caste/Tribe families and had no exposure to mass media were more likely to be SS, SW, and SU.

conclusionThese findings are crucial to address regional inequalities in severe malnourishment, and targeted interventions in these resource-limited areas are pertinent. Improving nutrition programs, raising awareness among mothers, and providing socio-economic support, especially in rural areas can reduce the odds of severe malnourishment and contribute to achieving global Sustainable Development Goals related to health, hunger, and poverty.