Sahibzada Azhar Mujib, Tahseen Kazmi, Sadaf Khan, Mushtaq Ahmad Shad, Muhammad Bashir, Behram Khan.
Relationship of non-organic factors with malnutrition among children under three years of age.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;16(5):355-8.

Objective: To study the association of socioeconomic and physical environmental factors with malnutrition among children under 3 years of age in four districts of Pakistan. Design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Selected MCH, Centres of Lahore, Jhang, Gilgit and Pallandri (AJK) providing preventive, promotive and curative services during the month of January 2004. Patients and Methods: A total of 448 children under 3-years of age coming to selected MCH centers, during the study period, were examined for malnutrition. The children were divided into two groups (normal/malnourished) on the basis of standard WHO weight for age growth chart. The compared variables were weaning and breast feeding practices, gender, vaccination status, living conditions and parents` educational status. Results: There were 238 (53%) male and 210 (47%) female children examined for malnutrition. The difference in weaning age, gender and vaccination status among normal and malnourished children were found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). A higher proportion of malnourished children (62.6%) was also found in families living in one room houses as compared to 2 or more room houses (p=0.01). There was an inverse association of educational status of both parents with malnutrition of children (p<0.001). Conclusion: This series showed a higher proportion of malnutrition among children, who were unvaccinated, weaned after seven months of age, not exclusively breast-fed for first six months, and lived in poor environmental conditions.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com