Global Acute Malnutrition in Breastfed Children Receiving Complementary Feeding According to the Associated Sociodemographic and Economic Factors of Mothers in the Rural Island Commune of Sinder

Abstract

Malnutrition is a serious threat to the well-being and survival of children in low- and middle-income countries. In Niger, the prevalence of global acute malnutrition is over 15%. The objective of this section is to determine the prevalence of global acute malnutrition in breastfeeding children receiving complementary feeding and the sociodemographic and economic factors of associated mothers. It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out on a representative sample of mothers of children under five years of age, who are breastfeeding and receiving complementary feeding. The sampling method is that of simple random selection. A questionnaire was administered using a structured interview. Data were collected using ODK software and analyzed using SPSS and Epi Info version 7.2. A total of 63 mother-child pairs were enrolled in this study. The results show that the majority of mothers were under 34 years of age at the time of the survey (69.4%). Unschooled and unemployed mothers represented more than half of the sample, with respective frequencies of 55.56% and 50.79%. Multiparous mothers were the most numerous, with 65.08%. Approximately, 76% of mothers, have been sensitized on optimal exclusive breastfeeding practices by health workers. In this study, approximately 97% and 83% of mothers were married and had given birth in health facilities, respectively. Acute malnutrition in children is a major public health problem in Niger. In addition to poverty, other factors directly or indirectly affect children's nutritional status.