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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

Nutritional status of Palestinian preschoolers in the Gaza Strip: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Salwa G Massad, FJ Nieto, Mari Palta, Maureen Smith, Roseanne Clark, Abdel-Aziz Thabet

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

The authors examined factors associated with nutritional resilience/vulnerability among preschoolers in the Gaza Strip in 2007, where political violence and deprivation are widespread.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2007 using random sampling of kindergartens in order to select 350 preschoolers. Binary logistic regression was used to compare resilient (adequate nutrition) and vulnerable (stunted) groups with those with moderate nutrition.

Results

Approximately 37% of the subjects demonstrated nutritional resilience and 15% were vulnerable. Factors associated with nutritional resilience were child younger age, normal birth weight, actively hand- or spoon-feeding when the child was below two years, and residential stability in the past two years. The only factor associated with nutritional vulnerability was lower total score on the mother's General Health Questionnaire, which we interpret as a marker of maternal mental health.

Conclusions

Children with low-birth weight and older children had worse nutritional resiliency outcomes. Further, poorer outcomes for children were associated with lower maternal mental health status, as well as increased family residential instability. Our results add to the large literature on the pervasive effects of violence and instability on children and underscore the need for resources for early intervention and for the urgent resolution of the Palestinian and other armed conflicts.
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Metadata
Title
Nutritional status of Palestinian preschoolers in the Gaza Strip: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Salwa G Massad
FJ Nieto
Mari Palta
Maureen Smith
Roseanne Clark
Abdel-Aziz Thabet
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-27

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