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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health and Nutrition
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1423603

Underweight and Associated Factors among Children under Age of Five in Low and Lower-Middle Income African Countries: Hierarchical Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data

Provisionally accepted
Tadesse T. Tamir Tadesse T. Tamir *Alebachew F. Zegeye Alebachew F. Zegeye Belayneh S. Workneh Belayneh S. Workneh Enyew G. Mekonen Enyew G. Mekonen
  • College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Globally, nearly half of all deaths among children under the age of five are linked to undernutrition. These tragic outcomes are most prevalent in low-and middle-income countries.The far-reaching impact of malnutrition affects not only individuals but also their families, communities, and entire nations. By examining underweight, we gain valuable insights into the intricate network of factors influencing child health. Therefore, this study aims to assess underweight prevalence and its associated factors among under-five children in low and lowermiddle-income African countries.Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of standard demographic and health surveys in 30 low and lower-middle-income African countries spanning from 2012 to 2022. Our analysis included a total sample of 200,655 children under the age of five years. We employed a three-level hierarchical model to assess the determinants of underweight among children in this age group.Measures of association were evaluated using adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval.Explanatory variables with a p-value less than the level of significance (0.05) were considered statistically significant.Result: The pooled prevalence of underweight among children under the age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries was estimated at 17.60%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 17.44% to 17.77%. The hierarchical analysis identified several factors significantly associated with underweight, including male gender, birth size, maternal body mass index, maternal educational level, household wealth index, antenatal care (ANC) visits, community poverty level, and income level of countries.: The high prevalence of underweight among children under the age of five in low and lower-middle income African countries underscores the need for targeted interventions. By addressing individual, community, and country-level factors, we can work towards improving child nutrition and well-being.

    Keywords: Underweight, factors, Children, Low, lower middle, Income, Africa

    Received: 26 Apr 2024; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tamir, Zegeye, Workneh and Mekonen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Tadesse T. Tamir, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia

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