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Globalization and Health
Published in: Globalization and Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research

Socio-economic risk factors for early childhood underweight in Bangladesh

Authors: Tuhinur Rahman Chowdhury, Sayan Chakrabarty, Muntaha Rakib, Sue Saltmarsh, Kendrick A. Davis

Published in: Globalization and Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Underweight is a major cause of global disease burden. It is associated with child mortality and morbidity, and its adverse impact on human performance and child survival is well recognized. Underweight is a major public health problem in Bangladesh, which is amongst the highest underweight prevalent countries in the world. The objectives of our study were to determine the national and regional prevalence rates of underweight and severe underweight in Bangladesh, and to investigate the association of socioeconomic and demographic factors with child underweight and severely underweight among children under the age of five living in Bangladesh.

Methods

We performed a cross sectional study using Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey 2012–13, Bangladesh data on 17,133 children under 5 years of age. Weight-for-age Z scores based upon World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines were used to define child underweight and severe underweight. The association of underweight and severe underweight with household socioeconomic factors and demographic characteristics was investigated using binary logistic regression model.

Results

An estimated 31.67% children were underweight and 8.81% children were severely underweight. Children of mothers with incomplete secondary education [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.94] and mothers with completed secondary education [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.93] were less likely to be underweight than children of uneducated mothers who had no formal schooling. A similar association exists for father’s education, children from households in the highest wealth index quintile had lower likelihood of underweight [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.53] than children from households in the lowest quintile. Consumption of non-iodized salt had higher risk of severe underweight for children aged between 24 and 35 months [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.80, 3.00]. Other risk factors of child severe underweight included living in Sylhet division and increases in the number of children under the age of five in a household.

Conclusion

Underweight was associated with lower parental education, household position in lower wealth index, living in Sylhet division and consumption of non-iodized salt. Strategies are discussed considering the relative importance of risk factors for child underweight.
Footnotes
1
Stunting: height for age < − 2 standard deviations (SD) of the WHO Child Growth Standards median
 
2
Wasting: weight for height < − 2 standard deviations (SD) of the WHO Child Growth Standards median
 
3
Underweight: weight for age < − 2 standard deviations (SD) of the WHO Child Growth Standards median
 
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Metadata
Title
Socio-economic risk factors for early childhood underweight in Bangladesh
Authors
Tuhinur Rahman Chowdhury
Sayan Chakrabarty
Muntaha Rakib
Sue Saltmarsh
Kendrick A. Davis
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Globalization and Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1744-8603
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-018-0372-7

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