Peer-reviewed article
Exploring risk factors for undernutrition in children aged under five years in Yemen.
Noman Al-Hatemi, Ebraheem Al-Nawd, Laith Alosoufe, Haddad Alhebshi, Nisser Alhroub et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined risk factors for undernutrition in children under five years old in Yemen's Jiblah district. Among 120 children enrolled in an outpatient programme, nearly half had wasting, a quarter had stunting, and almost a third were underweight. Key risk factors included being under three years old, being female, low birthweight, having younger siblings, maternal unemployment, poor water access, rural residence, and low household income.
Key points
- 48% of children had wasting, 23% had stunting, and 29% were underweight
- Children under three years old faced higher undernutrition risk
- Girls were at greater risk of undernutrition than boys
- Household access to unimproved drinking water was a significant risk factor
- Low household income and rural residence were associated with increased undernutrition risk
Limitations
This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling from children already enrolled in an outpatient programme, so results may not represent all undernourished children in Yemen or the general child population. The study cannot determine causality or the relative importance of different risk factors.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a global health concern, particularly in low-income countries, and can manifest as wasting, stunting and/or underweight. In Yemen, the recent armed conflict is likely to have significantly increased the incidence of undernutrition in young children, particularly those living in communities that were already experiencing socioeconomic and health disparities. AIM: To explore the risk factors associated with wasting, stunting and underweight in children aged between six months and five years living in one district of Yemen. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a two-part questionnaire to collect anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic characteristics of children enrolled on an outpatient programme for undernourished children at three healthcare facilities in the Jiblah district, and of their families and households. RESULTS: Of the 120 children included in the study, 58 (48%) had wasting, 27 (23%) had stunting and 35 (29%) were underweight. Risk factors for undernutrition included being under the age of three years, being a girl, having had a low birthweight, having siblings under the age of five years, having a mother who is a housewife, living in a household relying on unimproved sources of drinking water, living in a rural area, and living in a low-income household. CONCLUSION: The nutritional status of children in Yemen is under continuing threat. The identification of risk factors for undernutrition may increase awareness of the issue and influence the policy decisions of the international community.