Nutritional assessment of children under five and evaluation of maternal awareness level : a focus on stunting and wasting in Pakistan | |
| Author | Ahmed, Hooria |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.FI-25-01 |
| Subject(s) | Malnutrition in children--Pakistan--Evaluation Nutrition--Pakistan |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Food Innovation, Nutrition and Health |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Stunting and wasting are widespread in Pakistan, significantly impacting child health and development. Moreover, the effectiveness of nutritional screening tools can be influenced by the level of maternal knowledge about child nutrition. Thus, this investigated the stunting and wasting prevalence in children under five years of age in Punjab, Pakistan, and examined the effect of maternal knowledge and socio-demographic determinants on child nutritional outcomes. Recognizing the persistent challenge of malnutrition in the region, the research employs a comprehensive methodology that integrates anthropometric measurements, clinical and dietary assessments, and structured questionnaires. Data were collected from 150 respondents across three tehsils in the Sargodha Division, ensuring representation from both rural and urban settings. The study utilizes descriptive statistics to summarize key variables, correlation and logistic regression analyses to explore relationships between maternal knowledge and child nutrition outcomes, and qualitative thematic analysis to capture the depth of maternal awareness and its impact on feeding practices.The results revealed a significant stunting and wasting prevalence in children under five, with stunting being notably more common. Stunting was observed more frequently in male children, highlighting potential gender disparities influenced by both biological and environmental factors. The analysis also uncovers pronounced rural–urban differences: rural mothers were generally younger, had lower educational attainment, and faced greater barriers in accessing health facilities compared to their urban counterparts. These socio-demographic disparities were mirrored in children’s nutritional status as well as levels of maternal awareness regarding nutrition and health. Rural children were more stunted compared to urban children. Maternal knowledge was found to be a pivotal factor affecting child nutritional status. While urban mothers demonstrated moderately high awareness, rural mothers exhibited lower levels of knowledge, particularly regarding exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding. Exclusive breastfeeding rates declined sharply after three months, and misconceptions about infant formula and early complementary feeding were prevalent, especially in rural areas. Although simple correlations between maternal awareness and child nutritional outcomes were weak, logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between higher nutrition knowledge of the mother and reduced stunting and wasting prevalence. Maternal education, child gender, and maternal knowledge about nutrition were identified as significant predictors of improved nutritional outcomes. In conclusion, the findings underscore the necessity of integrating nutrition education into community health initiatives, improved health service access as well as female educational opportunities, and fostering involvement of the community to ensure culturally appropriate interventions. Such strategies are essential for reducing stunting and wasting and for promoting better health among children in the region. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Food Innovation, Nutrition and Health (FI) |
| Chairperson(s) | Anal, Anil Kumar, |
| Examination Committee(s) | Loc, Thai Nguyen;Tsusaka, Takuji W., |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Her Majesty the Queen's Scholarship |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |