ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Education among mothers have been found to be a strong factor for controlling malnutrition among children, says a National Nutrition Survey 2001-02.
The survey, the results of which were launched recently, said the children of illiterate mothers were more at risk of malnutrition than educated mothers. The survey showed that 38 per cent of the children in Pakistan between the age of six months and five years were underweight while 36.8 per cent of them were stunted.
It said malnutrition among children of those mothers, who had either done matriculation or higher education, was significantly low compared to illiterate mothers.
Vitamin A intervention plays a significant role in reducing severe type of malnutrition. Children who received Vitamin A drops appeared to be well-equipped to fight malnutrition than those who did not. The report also states that diarrhoea is a major contributor to malnutrition.
About the housing environment factors, the survey said availability of toilet facility appeared to be significant in lowering the risk of malnutrition among underweight children.
The report said children of mothers who were less than 19 years of age were more malnourished than those of older women.
Approximately 41 per cent children of these young mothers are underweight and stunted. The short birth intervals, ranging to less than two years, and children of high birth order (children four and above) have also been found to significantly affect the nutritional status of children.
Malnutrition results in retardation of physical growth, morbidity and mortality among children besides harming their mental and intellectual development. Malnutrition is an outcome of inadequate quantity and quality of dietary intake in humans.
The survey said malnutrition levels in Pakistan were higher than that of developing countries. These include nutritional disorders of protein energy malnutrition, iron, iodine, Vitamin A and other deficiencies.
The prevalence of malnutrition is an indicator of the current health status of the population and is a direct or indirect result of a host of factors including inadequate access to food, education, healthcare, parental care practices, socio- economic status and environmental characteristics jointly or individually.
The survey said population growth in Pakistan remained at about three per cent till the early 1980s, which according to the population census, had declined to 2.1 per cent.
Labour force is growing at a rate of about 2.4 per cent, while the unemployment rate, which earlier was contained to about six per cent, had now gone up to 7.8 per cent. Life expectancy in Pakistan is 64 years for males and 66 years for females.