Prevalence of malnutrition in 1-36 month old children hospitalized in Valiyy-e-Asr Hospital of Birjand

Malnutrition is one of the important health problems throughout the world, particularly in developing countries, which has undesirable effects on mental and physical health of children. It is an underlying factor for infections and an important cause of child mortality in these countries. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children aged 1-36 months old in Birjand Valiyy-e-asr Hospital. This cross sectional and descriptive analytical study was done on 360 hospitalized children aged 1-36 months, between June and November 2004. The data were collected through measuring of weight and height and structural questionnaires, which were completed by interviewing children's parents. The nutritional status was evaluated according to the weight-for-age (Gomez), weight-for height (Waterlow) and height-for-age (Waterlow) methods. Data were analysed by chi-square test, taking α= 0.05 as the significant level. The prevalence of malnutrition based on three criteria including "weight for age", "height for age" and "weight for height" were 68.6, 58.6 and 32.4, respectively. Malnutrition in children had a significant association with "birth weight"," mother's job", "parents’ educational level", and "duration of breast feeding" (P<0.05). Malnutrition increased among children in rural areas, low birth weight ones, those whose mothers were housewives, children having illiterate or semi-literate parents, short duration of breast feeding, and late beginning of complementary nutrition. With regard to the increased prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized children and its connection with the above mentioned variables, measures such as increasing parent's awareness and literacy-especially mother's knowledge-constancy of breast-feeding until the age of 2 years, starting complementary nutrition in due course promoting economic, social, and health status of families and preventing infectious diseases-particularly gastroenteritis- are recommended.