Poverty and childhood malnutrition: Evidence-based on a nationally representative survey of Bangladesh

Background: Malnutrition contributes to children’s morbidity and mortality, and the situation undermines the economic growth and development of Bangladesh. Malnutrition is associated with lower levels of education that decrease economic productivity and leads to poverty. The global burden of malnutrition continues to be unacceptably high amid social and economic growth, including in Bangladesh. Therefore, identifying the factors associated with childhood malnutrition and poverty is necessary to stop the vicious cycle of malnutrition leaded poverty. Methods: The study utilized the 2017–18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), accumulating 7,738 mother-child pairs. Associations between potential risk factors and nutritional status were determined using chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression models were utilized on significant risk factors to measure their odds ratio (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: The prevalence of moderate and severe wasting was 7.0% and 1.8%, respectively, whereas the prevalence of moderate and severe stunting was 19.2% and 8.0%, while 16.4% and 3.6% of children were moderately and severely underweight. Children from the poorest and poor households were suffering from at least one form of malnutrition. Adjusted ORs were estimated by controlling socio-economic and demographic risk factors, such as poor maternal body mass index, parents’ lower education level, use of unhygienic toilet, child age in months, and recent experience of diarrhea and fever. The pattern was almost similar for each malnutrition status (i.e., stunting, underweight, and wasting) in the poorest and poor households. Conclusion: Bangladesh achieved the Millennium Development Goals, focusing primarily on health-related indicators and working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Even considering this success, the prevalence of malnutrition and poverty in same household remains relatively high compared to other developing countries. Therefore, the study recommends the implementation of nationwide systematic measures to prevent poverty and malnutrition.