Prevalence and determinants of double and triple burden of malnutrition among mother–child pairs in Malawi

A mapping and multilevel modelling study

Bibliographic Data

ID15096552
AuthorsJessie Jane Khaki (0000-0001-5202-5339, Lancaster University, corresponding author), Peter M Macharia (0000-0003-3410-1881, Lancaster University), Lenka Beňová (0000-0001-8595-365X, Institute of Tropical Medicine), Emanuele Giorgi (0000-0002-3910-2261, Lancaster University), Aline Semaan (0000-0001-8348-1206, Institute of Tropical Medicine)
Year2024
Volume27
Issue1
Pagese241-e241
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980024002064
PMID39429152
OpenAlexW4403611804
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited32

Objective: To establish the prevalence of double burden of malnutrition (DBM) and triple burden of malnutrition (TBM) among mother–child pairs in Malawi and explore their geographical distribution and associated multilevel factors. Design: Cross-sectional study using secondary data from the 2015–2016 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey using a mixed effects binomial model to identify multilevel factors associated with DBM and TBM. Georeferenced covariates were used to map the predicted prevalence of DBM and TBM. Setting: All twenty-eight districts in Malawi. Participants: Mother–child pairs with mothers aged 15–49 years and children aged below 60 months ( n 4618 pairs) for DBM and between 6 and 59 months ( n 4209 pairs) for TBM. Results: Approximately 5·5 % (95% confidence interval (CI): 4·7 %, 6·4 %) of mother–child pairs had DBM, and 3·1 % (95 % CI: 2·5 %, 4·0 %) had TBM. The subnational-level prevalence of DBM and TBM was highest in cities. The adjusted odds of DBM were threefold higher (adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR: 2·8, 95 % CI: 1·1, 7·3) with a higher proportion of wealthy households in a community. The adjusted odds of TBM were 60 % lower (AOR: 0·4; 95 % CI: 0·2, 0·8) among pairs where the women had some education compared with women with no education. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of DBM and TBM is currently low in Malawi, it is more prevalent in pairs with women with no education and in relatively wealthier communities. Targeted interventions should address both maternal overnutrition and child undernutrition in cities and these demographics

Confidence interval · Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Logistic regression · Malnutrition · Multilevel model · Odds · Odds ratio · Overnutrition · Psychological intervention · Statistics · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare