Rights statement: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Mostafa, I. , Naila, N. N., Mahfuz, M. , Roy, M. , Faruque, A. S. and Ahmed, T. (2018), Children living in the slums of Bangladesh face risks from unsafe food and water and stunted growth is common. Acta Paediatr, 107: 1230-1239. doi:10.1111/apa.14281 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.14281/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
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Final published version
Licence: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Children living in the slums of Bangladesh face risks from unsafe food and water and stunted growth is common
AU - Mostafa, Ishita
AU - Naila, Nurun Nahar
AU - Mahfuz, Mustafa
AU - Roy, Manoj Kumar
AU - Faruque, Abu S.G.
AU - Ahmed, Tahmeed
N1 - This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Mostafa, I. , Naila, N. N., Mahfuz, M. , Roy, M. , Faruque, A. S. and Ahmed, T. (2018), Children living in the slums of Bangladesh face risks from unsafe food and water and stunted growth is common. Acta Paediatr, 107: 1230-1239. doi:10.1111/apa.14281 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.14281/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
PY - 2018/7
Y1 - 2018/7
N2 - Aim: This study investigated the microbial quality of food and water consumed by children in four slums in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, together with the associated risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place from December 2015 to May 2016 and focused on 360 children under the age of five. We recorded household food security, namely adequate food for a healthy life, socio-economic and nutritional status, hygiene and feeding practices. Food and water samples were analysed.Results: We found that 63% of the children were malnourished and 58% were stunted. Yeast and moulds were detected in 86% of the food samples and coliforms in 73%. All the water samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms, yeasts and moulds and Staphylococcus. Food insecurity affected 83% of households. Children were twice as likely to be malnourished if they were born with a perceived low birth weight or their mothers did not wash their hands with soap after cleaning the child’s bottom following defecation. Exclusively breast-fed children were less likely to develop malnutrition. Conclusion: Children from the Dhaka slums were frequently stunted and malnourished and contaminated food and water was common. Integrated efforts are essential to create public awareness about hygiene.
AB - Aim: This study investigated the microbial quality of food and water consumed by children in four slums in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, together with the associated risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place from December 2015 to May 2016 and focused on 360 children under the age of five. We recorded household food security, namely adequate food for a healthy life, socio-economic and nutritional status, hygiene and feeding practices. Food and water samples were analysed.Results: We found that 63% of the children were malnourished and 58% were stunted. Yeast and moulds were detected in 86% of the food samples and coliforms in 73%. All the water samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms, yeasts and moulds and Staphylococcus. Food insecurity affected 83% of households. Children were twice as likely to be malnourished if they were born with a perceived low birth weight or their mothers did not wash their hands with soap after cleaning the child’s bottom following defecation. Exclusively breast-fed children were less likely to develop malnutrition. Conclusion: Children from the Dhaka slums were frequently stunted and malnourished and contaminated food and water was common. Integrated efforts are essential to create public awareness about hygiene.
KW - Contaminated water
KW - Food security
KW - Hygiene practices
KW - Malnutrition
KW - Stunted growth
U2 - 10.1111/apa.14281
DO - 10.1111/apa.14281
M3 - Journal article
VL - 107
SP - 1230
EP - 1239
JO - Acta Paediatrica: Nurturing the Child
JF - Acta Paediatrica: Nurturing the Child
SN - 1651-2227
IS - 7
ER -