SEARCHCROSS-SECTIONALpediatrics, public health

cross-sectional·pediatrics, public health, epidemiology, nutrition, clinical nutrition·PMC10138555

Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Double Burden of Malnutrition among under-Five Children: Evidence from 10 Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 8 authors, 8 centres

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TL;DR

This study analysed Demographic and Health Survey data from 2015 to 2019 covering 55,285 children under five in 10 sub-Saharan African countries.

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This study analysed Demographic and Health Survey data from 2015 to 2019 covering 55,285 children under five in 10 sub-Saharan African countries. The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) was computed from four indicators: stunting, wasting, underweight, and overweight. DBM prevalence ranged from 8.80% in Senegal to 26.74% in Burundi. Erreygers Concentration Indices were used to measure socio-economic inequality. Results showed pro-poor inequalities in DBM across all ten countries, meaning poorer households bore a greater burden. South Africa had the highest overweight prevalence at 13%.

STUDY TYPE

cross-sectional

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

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AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10138555

Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Double Burden of Malnutrition among under-Five Children: Evidence from 10 Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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ABSTRACT

Background: Africa is unlikely to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030 due to public health problems such as the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). Thus, the aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of DBM and degree of socio-economic inequality in double burden of malnutrition among children under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This study used multi-country data collected by the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Data for this analysis were drawn from the DHS women’s questionnaire focusing on children under 5 years. The outcome variable for this study was the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). This variable was computed from four indicators: stunting, wasting, underweight and overweight. Inequalities in DBM among children under 5 years were measured using concentration indices (CI). Results: The total number of children included in this analysis was 55,285. DBM was highest in Burundi (26.74%) and lowest in Senegal (8.80%). The computed adjusted Erreygers Concentration Indices showed pro-poor socio-economic child health inequalities relative to the double burden of malnutrition. The DBM pro-poor inequalities were most intense in Zimbabwe (−0.0294) and least intense in Burundi (−0.2206). Conclusions: This study has shown that across SSA, among under-five children, the poor suffer more from the DBM relative to the wealthy. If we are not to leave any child behind, we must address these socio-economic inequalities in sub-Saharan Africa.

CITATION EXPORT

Olufunke A. Alaba, Plaxcedes Chiwire, Aggrey Siya et al.. Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Double Burden of Malnutrition among under-Five Children: Evidence from 10 Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085489

AUTHORS

8 · 8 CENTRES

Olufunke A. Alaba, Plaxcedes Chiwire, Aggrey Siya, Oluremi A. Saliu, Karen Nhakaniso, Emmanuella Nzeribe, Denis Okova, Akim Tafadzwa Lukwa

1Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
2Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Western Cape Department: Health, Western Cape Province, P.O. Box 2060, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
4College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda
5Department of Environmental Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja 901101, Nigeria
6Business School, University of the People, 595 E Colorado Blvd Suite 623, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA
7Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi GPS AK-448-4944, Ghana
8DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA), Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Gilbert Ramirez, Paul B. Tchounwou, Abayomi Oyekale