Zhang Y, Huang X, Yang Y, Liu X, Yang C, Wang A, Wang Y, Zhou H. Double burden of malnutrition among children under 5 in poor areas of China.
PLoS One 2018;
13:e0204142. [PMID:
30222775 PMCID:
PMC6141094 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0204142]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional status and its risk factors among children under 5 years, with special focus on the coexistence of under and over nutrition in population level.
METHODS
We enrolled 6,570 children under 5 years among 26 counties in poor areas of China. Prevalences of malnutrition (stunting, underweight, wasting, overweight) were calculated. Overweight was evaluated using two indicators-weight for height Z score (WHZ) and body mass index for age Z score (BAZ), and results were compared.
RESULTS
The total prevalence of malnutrition was 19.2%. The prevalence of stunting and overweight were as high as 8.4% and 8.8%, respectively. The BAZ-estimated prevalence of overweight was 9.9%, which was higher than the WHZ-estimated prevalence (p<0.001). Children older than 12 months age, within a minority group, with a caregiver of illiteracy/primary education level were significantly associated with stunting in multilevel regression models (p<0.05). Children younger than 24 months age and boys were significantly associated with overweight (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Stunting and overweight were coexisted in surveyed areas. In conclusion, BAZ tended to overestimate the overweight prevalence compared with WHZ. While with the raising problem of childhood overweight, stunting should still be on the agenda for the poor areas in China. To improve children's nutritional status in poor areas of China, caregivers with children at high risk of malnutrition should be guided for healthy feeding practices.
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