PREDICTORS OF POOR NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG CHILDREN AGED 6–24 MONTHS IN AGRICULTURAL REGIONS OF MALI

Background and objectives: Inadequate nutrition during the first two years of life has tremendous consequences on the health and growth of children. Understanding the magnitude and determinants of nutritional status can help to avert this problem. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and potential causes of undernutrition in children aged 6 - 24 months in poor rural regions of Mali. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in villages in Sikasso and Mopti regions from January to March 2016. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and characteristics of 959 boys, 856 girls, and their mothers, living in 1764 households. Anthropometric measurements such as weight, height, and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) were performed using standardized methods. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with nutritional status of the children. Results: The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 23.9%, 28.4% and 13.9% respectively. MUAC also indicated that 16.5% of children were undernourished. Chronic malnutrition was significantly associated with the presence of diarrhea in the past two weeks (p