Then and now: investigating anthropometrics and child mortality among females in Malawi

Simmons, Sally Sonia ORCID: 0000-0002-9126-5922, Hagan, John Elvis and Schack, Thomas (2022) Then and now: investigating anthropometrics and child mortality among females in Malawi. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (10). ISSN 1661-7827

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Abstract

Information on the concentration of body mass index and child death among females in Malawi, where the epidemics of weight gain have been disconcerting and preventable deaths among children linger, is limited. Therefore, the study examined the polarity of body mass index and the death of children among females. Using data from the Malawian Demographic and Health Survey from 2000 to 2015–2016, the study applied for the first time the index of concentration at the extremes and indirect demographic techniques to estimate the polarity of body mass index and child mortality among 65,499 females aged 15 to 49 years. The preponderance of obesity more than doubled from 2000 to 2015–2016 and was highest among females who were older (35–49 years), urban dwellers, rich, and located in districts within the central and southern regions. In addition, child survival was low among underweight, overweight, and obese females. While national-, regional-, and individual-level statistics are in development, these findings provide helpful information for health experts and other stakeholders to initiate appropriate age-region specific programs and interventions in Malawi, including targeting females in the high socio-economic bracket.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Additional Information:	© 2022 The Authors
Divisions:	Social Policy
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Date Deposited:	18 Jul 2022 14:06
Last Modified:	08 Apr 2024 01:48
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/115592

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