Background: Malnutrition is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children globally. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for primary 3rd degree malnutrition in children less than five years of age.
Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April, 2010 to June, 2011 at Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, PGMI/LRH, Peshawar. One hundred and thirty malnourished children under 5 years of age were included to determine the risk factors for malnutrition.
Results: Out of 130 patients, majority 46.2% were in the age range of 2-12 months, majority 63.1% were females and 75.38% were having weight range of 2-5.8 Kg. The commonest risk factors were illiterate mothers (84.6%), unemployed fathers (84.5%), poverty (73.1%), poor environmental living conditions (64.6%), delayed weaning (59.2%), illiterate fathers (56.9%), >2 children under 5 years (48.5%), mixed feeding (45.4%), partial vaccination (43.1%), fresh cow milk (36.9%), >5 children in family (26.2%) and working mothers in (3.1%) cases.
Conclusion: Commonest risk factors for malnutrition in children less than five years age are illiterate mother and father, unemployed father, poverty, poor environmental living conditions, delayed weaning, more than 2 children under 5 years, mixed feeding, partial vaccination, history of using fresh cow milk, more than 5 children in family and working mother.