Farid Muhammad Farhan, Rehman Alfur, Khaliq Ahmad Mujtaba, Ali Naveed, Tareq Ahmad Hussen
Public Health, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Health Department, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria, Umarkot, Sindh, Pakistan.
BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2024 Nov 21;7(2):e000974. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2024-000974. eCollection 2024.
Children living in orphanages face an increased susceptibility to malnutrition due to inadequate nutrition and psychological factors, in comparison to children who stay with their parents. A considerable proportion of institutionalised children remain unreported, and there is a dearth of information regarding the nutritional status of these children in Pakistan. This study set out to evaluate the status of malnutrition in the orphanages of Social Welfare Department Punjab.
A multicentre analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from 12 December 2021 to 30 June 2022, with 255 study participants (aged 6-18 years) in seven orphanages (4 girls, 3 boys) out of 12 orphanages of government of Punjab. Anthropometric measurements were taken using standardised measuring instruments, and data were collected using structured questionnaire. Subjects were classed as malnourished based on body mass index for age and height for age reference growth charts of WHO 2007. Binary logistic regression was used to identify potential risk factors of malnutrition in orphanages.
The study identified 36.1% malnourished children, of whom, 65.2% were orphans and 34% destitute children. The study reported 9.4% moderately underweight, 2.4% severely underweight, 4.3% overweight and 1.2% obese children and adolescents. The study established 17.6% moderately stunted, and 7.1% severely stunted children. Age at admission to orphanages (9-13 years) and lack of milk and meat consumption were identified as significant predictors of malnutrition in institutionalised children of Punjab.
Central Punjab had the highest malnutrition rate compared to North and South Punjab. Micronutrient deficiencies were more pronounced in South Punjab orphanages. Effective prevention of malnutrition requires early assessment of malnutritional risk in Pakistani orphanages.
与与父母生活在一起的儿童相比，生活在孤儿院的儿童由于营养不足和心理因素，营养不良的易感性增加。相当一部分被收容儿童未被报告，巴基斯坦缺乏有关这些儿童营养状况的信息。本研究旨在评估旁遮普省社会福利部孤儿院的营养不良状况。
2021年12月12日至2022年6月30日进行了一项多中心分析性横断面研究，旁遮普省政府12所孤儿院中的7所（4所女童院，3所男童院）的255名研究参与者（年龄6 - 18岁）参与其中。使用标准化测量工具进行人体测量，并使用结构化问卷收集数据。根据世界卫生组织2007年年龄别体重指数和年龄别身高参考生长图表，将受试者归类为营养不良。采用二元逻辑回归确定孤儿院营养不良的潜在风险因素。
该研究发现36.1%的儿童营养不良，其中65.2%是孤儿，34%是贫困儿童。该研究报告称，9.4%的儿童和青少年中度体重不足，2.4%严重体重不足，4.3%超重，1.2%肥胖。该研究确定17.6%的儿童中度发育迟缓，7.1%严重发育迟缓。进入孤儿院的年龄（9 - 13岁）以及缺乏牛奶和肉类消费被确定为旁遮普省收容儿童营养不良的重要预测因素。
与旁遮普省北部和南部相比，中部旁遮普省的营养不良率最高。旁遮普省南部孤儿院的微量营养素缺乏更为明显。有效预防营养不良需要对巴基斯坦孤儿院的营养不良风险进行早期评估。
