Relationship of Maternal Education with Malnutrition in Children Under the Age of Five Years Presented to A Tertiary Care Hospital: Maternal Education with Malnutrition in Children Under the Age of Five Years

Akram Ullah; Sabahat Amir; Ruba Gul; Shah Fahad Afridi; Fatima Zuhra; Sulaiman Shah; Namrah Khan

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v7i6.4238

Authors

Akram Ullah Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Sabahat Amir Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Ruba Gul Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Shah Fahad Afridi Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Fatima Zuhra Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Sulaiman Shah Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Namrah Khan Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v7i6.4238

Keywords:

Malnutrition, Maternal Education, Stunting, Wasting, Underweight

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a major public health problem among children under five years, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan. Maternal education plays a crucial role in determining child nutritional status through its influence on feeding practices, healthcare utilization, and overall child care. Objective: To determine the association between maternal education and the severity of malnutrition among children under five years of age presenting to a Stertiary care hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, including 282 malnourished children aged 6 months to 5 years. Nutritional status was assessed using WHO Z-scores (WAZ, HAZ, WHZ) and categorized into moderate and severe malnutrition. Maternal education was classified into six levels. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0, and associations were evaluated using Fisher’s Exact tests, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean age was 28.4 ± 11.2 months. The prevalence of malnutrition was high, with 54.8% underweight, 48.8% stunted, and 32.4% wasted. Severe malnutrition was common, particularly among children of illiterate mothers, showing significantly higher rates of underweight (65.4%), stunting (75.0%), and wasting (70.0%) (p≤0.002). On multivariable analysis, maternal illiteracy remained a strong independent predictor of underweight (AOR: 4.89), stunting (AOR: 5.73), and wasting (AOR: 4.12), all statistically significant (p<0.001). Higher maternal education showed a protective effect against all forms of malnutrition. Conclusions: Maternal education is associated with reduced severity of childhood malnutrition. Improving female education and implementing targeted nutritional interventions are essential to reduce the burden of malnutrition.

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