Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011

Background: Malnutrition is one of the most common hazards which compromise children’s health. Previous studies have reported high rates of malnutrition in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of child malnutrition in Yasuj and to explore the ass...

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Main Authors: Masoumeh Akhlaghi, Zeinab Sadri, Hamid Reza Tabatabaee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 2013-07-01
Series:Journal of Health Sciences and Surveillance System
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42732_18dbb8041326c9080f112698fced1e10.pdf
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author Masoumeh Akhlaghi
Zeinab Sadri
Hamid Reza Tabatabaee
author_facet Masoumeh Akhlaghi
Zeinab Sadri
Hamid Reza Tabatabaee
author_sort Masoumeh Akhlaghi
collection DOAJ
description Background: Malnutrition is one of the most common hazards which compromise children’s health. Previous studies have reported high rates of malnutrition in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of child malnutrition in Yasuj and to explore the association between family characteristics and malnutrition. Methods: Data were collected from healthcare files of 285 infants aged 18 months and younger in Yasuj health care centers. Data included demographic information and anthropometric measurements at birth and at the last referral to health centers. Results: Rates of underweight, stunting, wasting, and low head circumference at birth were 17.9%, 13.4%, 27.8%, and 19%, and at the last referral they were 22.5%, 11.3%, 29%, and 15.5%, respectively. The frequency of underweight and wasting had significantly increased and that of stunting and low head circumference significantly decreased during the period between birth and the last referral. Birth wasting was significantly more common in younger mothers, families with fewer children, and shorter birth interval. Birth underweight and small head circumference was significantly associated with shorter birth interval. Child stunting was related to father’s education level and child wasting was associated with mother’s education. Parents’ education did not have any association with birth malnutrition. Conclusion: Wasting appeared to be the major form of malnutrition among infants in Yasuj. It was very high at birth, and continued to elevate after birth. Elevating educational level of parents (over Diploma), educating parents to keep sufficient interval between pregnancies, and paying more attention to young mothers and those who are delivering their first baby are among strategies to ameliorate child wasting.
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spelling doaj.art-25886aa3f58144dc878965586d2771152022-12-22T02:45:47ZengShiraz University of Medical SciencesJournal of Health Sciences and Surveillance System2345-22182345-38932013-07-0111192642732Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011Masoumeh Akhlaghi0Zeinab Sadri1Hamid Reza Tabatabaee2Department of Nutrition, School of Health & Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;B.Sc. of Nutrition, Student Research Committee, College of Health & Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesAssistant Professor of Epidemiology, Epidemiology Department, College of Health & Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesBackground: Malnutrition is one of the most common hazards which compromise children’s health. Previous studies have reported high rates of malnutrition in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of child malnutrition in Yasuj and to explore the association between family characteristics and malnutrition. Methods: Data were collected from healthcare files of 285 infants aged 18 months and younger in Yasuj health care centers. Data included demographic information and anthropometric measurements at birth and at the last referral to health centers. Results: Rates of underweight, stunting, wasting, and low head circumference at birth were 17.9%, 13.4%, 27.8%, and 19%, and at the last referral they were 22.5%, 11.3%, 29%, and 15.5%, respectively. The frequency of underweight and wasting had significantly increased and that of stunting and low head circumference significantly decreased during the period between birth and the last referral. Birth wasting was significantly more common in younger mothers, families with fewer children, and shorter birth interval. Birth underweight and small head circumference was significantly associated with shorter birth interval. Child stunting was related to father’s education level and child wasting was associated with mother’s education. Parents’ education did not have any association with birth malnutrition. Conclusion: Wasting appeared to be the major form of malnutrition among infants in Yasuj. It was very high at birth, and continued to elevate after birth. Elevating educational level of parents (over Diploma), educating parents to keep sufficient interval between pregnancies, and paying more attention to young mothers and those who are delivering their first baby are among strategies to ameliorate child wasting.http://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42732_18dbb8041326c9080f112698fced1e10.pdfMalnutritionChildBody weightWastingStunting
spellingShingle Masoumeh Akhlaghi
Zeinab Sadri
Hamid Reza Tabatabaee
Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
Journal of Health Sciences and Surveillance System
Malnutrition
Child
Body weight
Wasting
Stunting
title Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
title_full Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
title_fullStr Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
title_full_unstemmed Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
title_short Malnutrition Frequency and Its Family-Related Factors among Infants in Yasuj City in Iran, 2011
title_sort malnutrition frequency and its family related factors among infants in yasuj city in iran 2011
topic Malnutrition
Child
Body weight
Wasting
Stunting
url http://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42732_18dbb8041326c9080f112698fced1e10.pdf
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