ABSTRACT

Background Child malnutrition has become one of the major health problems of various developing and under-developed countries. Child would have to take proper diet that can fulfill the nutritional requirements after the age of six months. Malnutrition effects the growth and increase the risk for morbidity. It has become an important health issue in South Asian countries.

Aim: To access the child malnutrition and its associated responsible risk factors. Child malnutrition is a viscous cycle of malnutrition which circles from mother to fetal and so.

Methodology A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct the current research. A sample size of 148 children was taken and data were collected from middle class locality of Lahore during the month of March 2020 to Sept 2020. A self-designed questionnaire was used to access malnutrition. The questionnaire was divided into three sections such as Socio-economic factors, medical illness and maternal health. Bivariate analysis has been performed to access association.

Results The overall children from the selected sample of 148 effected from severe malnutrition are 83(56.1%), mild malnutrition 24(16.2%) and normal 41(27.7%). The incidence rate of mother’s being under-weight 84(56.8%) in the observed sample.

Conclusion The prevalence rate of malnutrition is higher in younger age as compared to older age. The maternal BMI is associated with child malnutrition. The household income is another significant factor for child malnutrition. Gender is insignificant for malnutrition.

Keywords: BMI, Child health, Malnutrition, Maternal health.