Rights statement: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Aheto, J. M. K., Keegan, T. J., Taylor, B. M. and Diggle, P. J. (2015), Childhood Malnutrition and Its Determinants among Under-Five Children in Ghana. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 29: 552–561. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12222 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppe.12222/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood malnutrition and its determinants among under-five children in Ghana
AU - Aheto, Justice Moses Kwaku
AU - Keegan, Thomas
AU - Taylor, Benjamin
AU - Diggle, Peter
N1 - 12 month embargo This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Aheto, J. M. K., Keegan, T. J., Taylor, B. M. and Diggle, P. J. (2015), Childhood Malnutrition and Its Determinants among Under-Five Children in Ghana. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 29: 552–561. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12222 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppe.12222/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
PY - 2015/11
Y1 - 2015/11
N2 - BackgroundChildhood malnutrition adversely affects short- and long-term health and economic well-being of children. Malnutrition is a global challenge and accounts for around 40% of under-five mortality in Ghana. Limited studies are available indicating determinants of malnutrition among children. This study investigates prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among children under-five with the aim of providing advice to policymakers and other stakeholders responsible for the health and nutrition of children.MethodsThe study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). Analyses were conducted on 2083 children under 5 years old nested within 1641 households with eligible anthropometric measurements, using multilevel regression analysis. Results from the multilevel models were used to compute probabilities of malnutrition.ResultsThis study observed that 588 (28%), 276 (13%), and 176 (8%) of the children were moderately ‘stunted’, moderately ‘underweight’, and moderately ‘wasted’ respectively. Older ages are associated with increased risk of stunting and underweight. Longer breast-feeding duration, multiple births, experience of diarrhoeal episodes, small size at birth, absence of toilet facilities in households, poor households, and mothers who are not covered by national health insurance are associated with increased risk of malnutrition. Increase in mother's years of education and body mass index are associated with decreased malnutrition. Strong residual household-level variations in childhood nutritional outcomes were found.ConclusionPolicies and intervention strategies aimed at improving childhood nutrition and health should address the risk factors identified and the need to search for additional risk factors that might account for the unexplained household-level variations.
AB - BackgroundChildhood malnutrition adversely affects short- and long-term health and economic well-being of children. Malnutrition is a global challenge and accounts for around 40% of under-five mortality in Ghana. Limited studies are available indicating determinants of malnutrition among children. This study investigates prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among children under-five with the aim of providing advice to policymakers and other stakeholders responsible for the health and nutrition of children.MethodsThe study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). Analyses were conducted on 2083 children under 5 years old nested within 1641 households with eligible anthropometric measurements, using multilevel regression analysis. Results from the multilevel models were used to compute probabilities of malnutrition.ResultsThis study observed that 588 (28%), 276 (13%), and 176 (8%) of the children were moderately ‘stunted’, moderately ‘underweight’, and moderately ‘wasted’ respectively. Older ages are associated with increased risk of stunting and underweight. Longer breast-feeding duration, multiple births, experience of diarrhoeal episodes, small size at birth, absence of toilet facilities in households, poor households, and mothers who are not covered by national health insurance are associated with increased risk of malnutrition. Increase in mother's years of education and body mass index are associated with decreased malnutrition. Strong residual household-level variations in childhood nutritional outcomes were found.ConclusionPolicies and intervention strategies aimed at improving childhood nutrition and health should address the risk factors identified and the need to search for additional risk factors that might account for the unexplained household-level variations.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Childhood malnutrition
KW - Under-five children
KW - Developing countries
KW - Nutritional status
KW - Multilevel modelling
KW - Malnutrition determinants
KW - Public health
KW - Biostatistics
U2 - 10.1111/ppe.12222
DO - 10.1111/ppe.12222
M3 - Journal article
VL - 29
SP - 552
EP - 561
JO - Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
JF - Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
SN - 0269-5022
IS - 6
ER -