Lindelani Fhumudzani Mushaphi, Tjale Cloupas Mahopo, Cebisa Noxolo Nesamvuni, Brenda Baloyi, Ellen Mashau, Jeniata Richardson, Rebecca Dillingham, Richard Guerrant, Ramya Ambikapathi, Pascal Bessong
Recommendations for Infant Feeding Policy and Programs in Dzimauli Region, South Africa: Results From the MAL-ED Birth Cohort
Food and nutrition bulletin
introduction adverse effects coronavirus disease 2019 covid19 pandemic maternal reproductive health extend beyond immediate morbidity mortality attributed directly disease pandemicinduced disruptions healthcare social economic infrastructures exacerbate already high burden childhood undernutrition india method crosssectional study conducted selected district central indian province madhya pradesh data collected eligible children born covid19 pandemic february 2020 december 2021 visited selected tertiary care hospital routine immunization study period weightforlength weightforage lengthforage compared reference values obtain corresponding zscores children zscores two standard deviations reference values considered wasting underweight stunting respectively descriptive statistics employed summarise sociodemographic characteristics participants association sociodemographic nutritional pregnancyrelated factors zscores assessed via unpaired ttest anova result studied 147 children age group nine 29 months 61 581 males fortytwo 286 found underweight 22 149 wasting 51 347 stunted prevalences comparable estimates national family health survey 20192021 nfhs5 madhya pradesh lower nfhs4 20152016 showing discernible effect born pandemic growth indicators however mothers employment family income independent predictors stunting whereas gestational age birth maternal education prolonged breastfeeding substantially linked wasting study conclusion study adds evidence base reporting prevalence stunting wasting underweight along determinants central india among children born covid19 pandemic data reflect expected increase child malnutrition due covid19 pandemicrelated disruptions healthcare social economic infrastructure future research incorporate lessons learnt study design populationbased study underfive children compare prevalence undernutrition pandemicborn versus nonpandemicborn children