Undernutrition among under-five indigenous Mbororo children in the Foumban and Galim health districts of Cameroon: a cross-sectional study

Prevalence and associated factors of coexisting forms of malnutrition in children under 5 years age in a rural area of Cameroon

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition of children under 5 years of age is persistent in Cameroon principally in rural areas. Moreover, there is limited knowledge of coexisting forms of malnutrition (CFM) among children of this age. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CFM in a cohort of children under 5 years and to identify the associated factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Health Districts of the locality of Dschang in the West region of Cameroon between June 2021 to November 2021. Data were collected from 200 under-five children of both sexes and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to consented children's mothers/guardians. Malnutrition in children was assessed by WHO growth standards (weight-for-height, weight-for-age, height-for-age and body mass index-for-age). The different CFM were defined by the presence of two autonomous forms of malnutrition in the same child. Logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated to different coexisting forms of malnutrition.

RESULTS

The results obtained showed prevalences of 4.20% for the coexistence of underweight with wasting, 7.8% for the coexistence of underweight with stunting and 14.8% for the coexistence of stunting with overweight. Lower maternal age (15-24 years old; OR = 0.09; p = 0.05) and lower education level (primary education, OR = 23.33; p = 0.00) were associated with the coexistence of underweight with wasting. Marital status (single mother, OR = 0.28; p = 0.00) was associated to the coexistence of stunting with overweight/obesity.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study provide evidence on the coexistence of different forms of malnutrition among children below five years of age in rural area of Cameroon. These finding would guide future research, policies, and programs on the management of malnutrition in rural areas of Cameroon.

[Somatometric alterations and lower APGAR score in indigenous newborns]

INTRODUCTION

the indigenous population is vulnerable and there is limited understanding of their somatometric indicators and APGAR score at birth.

AIM

the objective of the study was to explore the association of the condition of indigenous newborn (INB) on somatometric parameters and APGAR score at birth.

METHODS

this study employed an exploratory cross-sectional design, utilizing the registry of newborns (NB) from a private clinic. The APGAR score at one minute after birth, as well as nutritional indicators derived from measurements of weight, height, and perimeters, were taken into consideration. The statistical analysis involved the use of logistic regressions.

RESULTS

the analysis included 7413 NB (1.8 % INB), 52 % were male and 8.1 % were born preterm (gestational age < 37 weeks). In comparison to non-indigenous NB, the INB group showed a higher risk of malnutrition (8 % vs. 6.3 %; p < 0.001), a greater prevalence of excess weight (7.3 % vs. 1.8 %; p < 0.001), smaller head circumference (33.6 cm vs. 34.1 cm; p = 0.017), smaller abdominal circumference (30.9 cm vs. 31.5 cm; p = 0.011), and a higher occurrence of low APGAR scores (< 7) (8.7 % vs. 1.2 %; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the indigenous condition was independently associated with low birth weight (< 2.500 g) (OR, 0.4; 95 % CI, 0.2; 0.9), excess head circumference (OR, 2.7; 95 % CI, 1.5; 4.7), and APGAR score < 7 points (OR, 8.3; 95 % CI, 4.2; 16.5).

CONCLUSIONS

the indigenous condition was associated with factors that have adverse effects on the health of NB, including reduced head circumference and suboptimal performance on the APGAR scale. These results emphasize the importance of improving access to and quality of prenatal healthcare services for indigenous communities.

Malnutrition, anaemia and anisocytosis as public health problems among children ≤ 5 years living in malaria perennial transmission areas of Mount Cameroon: a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Anaemia, anisocytosis, malnutrition (especially stunting) are common health problems in developing countries with children being the most vulnerable. These conditions have negative impacts on human performance, growth and development, and can further be complicated if comorbidity exists within a holoendemic stratum with strong and perennial malaria parasite transmission such as the Mount Cameroon area. The study aimed at determining the prevalence and severity malnutrition, anaemia and anisocytosis in children ≤ 5 years, living in the conflict hit malaria perennial transmission zone of the Mount Cameroon area.

METHOD

A cross-sectional community-based survey involving 628 children ≤ 5 years was conducted. Malaria parasitaemia was confirmed by Giemsa-stained microscopy and the density was log transformed. Haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell volume and red blood cell distribution width were estimated using an auto-haematology analyser and defined according to WHO standards. Anthropometric indices were analysed and compared with WHO growth reference standards using WHO Anthro software.

RESULTS

Plasmodium infection, anaemia, microcytic anaemia, anisocytosis and stunting were prevalent in 36.0, 72.8, 30.1, 54.1 and 29.0% of the children, respectively. The ≤ 24 months children were more moderately stunted (14.7%), with higher prevalence of microcytic anaemia (38.8%) and anisocytosis (68.8%) (P < 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively) when compared with the older children. The mean Hb level in the study population was 10.04 g/dL with children ≤ 24 months having the least mean haemoglobin level (9.69 g/dL) when compared with their older counterparts at P < 0.001. The odds of having anisocytosis were highest among children who were malnourished (OR = 4.66, P = 0.005), those infected with malaria parasites (OR = 1.85, P = 0.007), and whose parents had a primary (OR = 3.51, P = 0.002) and secondary levels of education (OR = 2.69, P = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

Malaria, anaemia, anisocytosis and undernutrition still remain severe public health concerns among children ≤ 60 months in the Mount Cameroon area. This therefore emphasizes the need for the implementation of consistent policies, programmes and activities to avoid malaria, anaemia, anisocytosis and stunting in the paediatric age group.

Intergenerational Association of Short Maternal Stature with Stunting in Yanomami Indigenous Children from the Brazilian Amazon

To describe the factors associated to stunting in <5-year-old Yanomami Brazilian children, and to evaluate the association of short maternal stature to their offspring’s stunting. A cross-sectional study carried out in three villages in the Yanomami territory. We performed a census, in which all households with children < 5-years-old were included. The length/height-for-age z-score <−2 standard deviations was used to classify the children as stunted. Short maternal height was defined as <145 cm for adult women, and <−2 standard deviations of the height-for-age z-score for adolescent women. We used adjusted Poisson regression models to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) along the 90% confidence interval. We evaluated 298 children. 81.2% of children suffered from stunting and 71.9% of the mothers from short stature. In the bivariate analysis, a significant association of stunting with short maternal stature, gestational malaria and child’s place of birth were observed. Considering the variables of the children under five years of age, there were significant associations with age group, the child’s caregiver, history of malaria, pneumonia, and malnutrition treatment. In the adjusted hierarchical model, stunting was 1.22 times greater in the offspring of women with a short stature (90% CI: 1.07–1.38) compared to their counterparts. Brazilian Amazonian indigenous children living in a remote area displayed an alarming prevalence of stunting, and this was associated with short maternal height, reinforcing the hypothesis of intergenerational chronic malnutrition transmission in this population. In addition, children above 24 months of age, who were born in the village healthcare units and who had had previous treatment in the past for stunting presented higher rates of stunting in this study.