Assessment of the malnutrition-associated factors among children under five years in Khartoum State, Sudan

Nutrition is a cornerstone that affects and defines the health of all people, rich and poor. Conversely, malnutrition makes all more vulnerable to disease and premature death. The aim of this study was to assess the associated factors with malnutrition among less than five years children in Khartoum State, Sudan. A clinic base study funded by Saudi Red Crescent Authority was conducted on 100 children under five years who visit the health facility in the study area. Malnutrition was indicated by stunting, wasting and underweight. A structured questionnaire was also used to obtain the required data of the study participants and their mothers. The results shows that, about 8% of male children were wasted while 4% of female children were wasted. There was no significant association between sex of the child and nutritional status. Also, among under five years children’s mothers, wasting was the most common malnutrition problem (12%). On the levels of education results indicate that wasting was higher among children of educated mothers and housewives mothers there was significant associations between mother education and child wasting. Also there were an obvious differences between some socio-economic factors and malnutrition parameters, but there were no significant association between sex of the child and nutritional status and between mother education and child wasting, also between married status, employment and education of mothers and weight for age indicator and also no relationship between family size and nutritional status. But there was a significant association between sex and weight for age indicator. This assessment should be considered seriously before the other relationships between socio-economic factors and nutritional status became significant.