Severe wasting among Indian infants <6 months

Findings from the National Family Health Survey 4

Bibliographic Data

ID15536544
AuthorsTarun Shankar Choudhary (0000-0003-0093-8341, Society for Applied Studies, corresponding author), Akanksha Srivastava (0000-0002-4071-9947, Society for Applied Studies), Ranadip Chowdhury (0000-0002-0055-6653, Society for Applied Studies), Sunita Taneja (0000-0003-3338-9799, Society for Applied Studies), Roy Bahl (0000-0001-7936-6985, World Health Organization), Rajiv Bahl (Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health World Health Organisation Geneva Switzerland), Jose Martines (University of Bergen), Maharaj Kishan Bhan (0000-0002-1408-1310, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council), Neeraj Bhandari (0000-0003-0349-087X, Society for Applied Studies)
Year2019
Volume15
Issue4
Publication date2019-06-26
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMaternal and Child Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1740-8695 • E-ISSN: 1740-8709
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/mcn.12866
OpenAlexW2955962898
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited18

Burden and risk factors for wasting in the first 6 months of life among Indian children are not well documented. We used data from India's National Family Health Survey 4 to estimate the prevalence of severe wasting (weight for length < ‐3 SD ) among 18,898 infants under 6 months of age. We also examined the association of severe wasting with household, maternal, and child‐related factors using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Prevalence of severe wasting among infants less than 6 months of age was 14.8%, ranging from 3.5 to 21% across states. Low birth weight (<2,500 g; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.40, 95% CI [1.19, 1.65]), nonutilization of supplementary nutrition by mother during lactation (AOR 1.23, 95% CI [1.05, 1.43]), and anthropometric assessment during summer (AOR 1.37, 95% CI [1.13, 1.65]) and monsoon months (AOR 1.53, 95% CI [1.20, 1.95]) were associated with higher odds of severe wasting. Infants aged 2 to 3 months (AOR 0.78, 95% CI [0.66, 0.93]) and 4 to 5 months (AOR 0.65, 95% CI [0.55, 0.73]) had lower odds of severe wasting as compared with the 0‐ to 1‐month category. This analysis reveals a high burden of severe wasting in infants less than 6 months in India. Preventive interventions must be targeted at reducing low birth weight due to fatal growth restriction and prematurity. Appropriate care practices at facilities and postdischarge with extra attention to those born small and sick can prevent further deterioration in nutritional status

Anthropometry · Birth weight · Logistic regression · Low birth weight · Odds · Odds ratio · Pregnancy · Psychological intervention · Wasting · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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