Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh
Abstract Objective: Undernutrition among children under the age of five years is a prevalent global issue, especially in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the relationships of household environmental conditions (HECs) with child undernutrition in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on rural–ur...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002325/type/journal_article |
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| author | Md Mostaured Ali Khan Md Arif Billah Kaniz Fatima M Mofizul Islam Bidhan Krishna Sarker Shimlin Jahan Khanam Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas Md Nuruzzaman Khan |
| author_facet | Md Mostaured Ali Khan Md Arif Billah Kaniz Fatima M Mofizul Islam Bidhan Krishna Sarker Shimlin Jahan Khanam Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas Md Nuruzzaman Khan |
| author_sort | Md Mostaured Ali Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
Undernutrition among children under the age of five years is a prevalent global issue, especially in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the relationships of household environmental conditions (HECs) with child undernutrition in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on rural–urban variations.
Design:
We analysed children’s data from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The outcome variable considered were measures of child undernutrition, including stunting, wasting and underweight. The primary exposure variables considered were indicators of HEC. We used a hierarchical multilevel mixed-effect generalized linear models (GLM) modified with a Poisson regression to explore the association between outcomes and exposures, adjusting for potential confounders.
Setting:
Nationally representative cross-sectional survey.
Participants:
8,057 under-5 children.
Results:
The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in Bangladesh was 31%, 8%, and 22%, respectively, with notable urban–rural variations. Under-5 children who lived in houses constructed with unimproved materials (aRR: 1·17), exposed to household air pollution (aPR: 1·37), had unimproved drinking water sources (aPR: 1·28) or had poor handwashing facilities (aPR: 1·24) had a greater likelihood of stunting compared to their counterparts. Similar associations were observed for underweight. The likelihood of stunting and underweight increased with increasing scores of poor HECs, with variations in the effect size across urban–rural areas.
Conclusion:
The high prevalence of stunting and underweight in Bangladesh is linked to poor HECs, therefore, integrated approaches should be adopted to address these environmental factors collectively. Policies and programmes should prioritse enhancing housing quality to achieve sustainable improvements in child nutritional outcomes.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-508c89dcf3ac4ee4969055664069012c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-508c89dcf3ac4ee4969055664069012c2025-01-16T21:48:40ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980024002325Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in BangladeshMd Mostaured Ali Khan0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7837-3251Md Arif Billah1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0235-5935Kaniz Fatima2https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6953-6013M Mofizul Islam3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1330-863XBidhan Krishna Sarker4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1479-158XShimlin Jahan Khanam5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6500-4537Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4449-0131Md Nuruzzaman Khan7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4550-4363Maternal and Child Health Division, icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, BangladeshHealth System and Population Studies Division, icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, BangladeshMaternal and Child Health Division, icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, BangladeshDepartment of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, AustraliaMaternal and Child Health Division, icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, BangladeshDepartment of Population Science, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Namapara Mymensingh 2220, BangladeshMaternal and Newborn Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United KingdomDepartment of Population Science, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Namapara Mymensingh 2220, Bangladesh Nossal Institute for Global Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Abstract Objective: Undernutrition among children under the age of five years is a prevalent global issue, especially in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the relationships of household environmental conditions (HECs) with child undernutrition in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on rural–urban variations. Design: We analysed children’s data from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The outcome variable considered were measures of child undernutrition, including stunting, wasting and underweight. The primary exposure variables considered were indicators of HEC. We used a hierarchical multilevel mixed-effect generalized linear models (GLM) modified with a Poisson regression to explore the association between outcomes and exposures, adjusting for potential confounders. Setting: Nationally representative cross-sectional survey. Participants: 8,057 under-5 children. Results: The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in Bangladesh was 31%, 8%, and 22%, respectively, with notable urban–rural variations. Under-5 children who lived in houses constructed with unimproved materials (aRR: 1·17), exposed to household air pollution (aPR: 1·37), had unimproved drinking water sources (aPR: 1·28) or had poor handwashing facilities (aPR: 1·24) had a greater likelihood of stunting compared to their counterparts. Similar associations were observed for underweight. The likelihood of stunting and underweight increased with increasing scores of poor HECs, with variations in the effect size across urban–rural areas. Conclusion: The high prevalence of stunting and underweight in Bangladesh is linked to poor HECs, therefore, integrated approaches should be adopted to address these environmental factors collectively. Policies and programmes should prioritse enhancing housing quality to achieve sustainable improvements in child nutritional outcomes. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002325/type/journal_articleChild undernutritionChild malnutritionHousing conditionHousehold environmentUnder-5 childrenBangladesh |
| spellingShingle | Md Mostaured Ali Khan Md Arif Billah Kaniz Fatima M Mofizul Islam Bidhan Krishna Sarker Shimlin Jahan Khanam Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas Md Nuruzzaman Khan Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh Public Health Nutrition Child undernutrition Child malnutrition Housing condition Household environment Under-5 children Bangladesh |
| title | Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh |
| title_full | Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh |
| title_short | Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh |
| title_sort | child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in bangladesh |
| topic | Child undernutrition Child malnutrition Housing condition Household environment Under-5 children Bangladesh |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002325/type/journal_article |
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