Double burden of malnutrition among mother-child DYADS in urban poor settings in India

Abstract

Introduction: Low-and middle-income countries are undergoing nutrition transition wherein presence of under and over-nutrition in the same household is increasing. Aims & Objectives: This study explored the coexistence of under and over-nutrition among mother-child dyads in an urban poor setting in India. Material & Methods: Data was collected from 225 dyads in urban poor settings of Delhi. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist-circumference, hip circumference in mothers and weight, height, MUAC in children) were taken from a random sample of mothers aged >18 years with children aged 3-5 years. Prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting and overweight/obesity were determined in children, while corresponding proportions of underweight and overweight/obesity were determined in mothers, based on BMI and waist circumference. Results: Of the 225 children, 19% were stunted, 12% were underweight, 4.8% were wasted, while 20% were overweight/obese. Among their mothers, 8.4% were underweight, 20% were overweight/obese and 23% had waist circumference > 88cm. A large proportion of overweight and obese mothers (33% and 30% respectively) had stunted, wasted or underweight children. Among the overweight/obese children, 12% had underweight, and 22% had overweight/obese parentage. Among, all dual burden households, the nutritional status of child correlates with that of mother. Conclusion: One-third mother-child dyads revealed the existence of double burden of malnutrition characterized by high prevalence of undernutrition, stunting and wasting in children, and overweight/obesity in mothers within the same household. It is crucial to understand the pathways to this coexistence, and to test effectiveness of context-specific interventions to curb associated future health risks