Social Determinants of Chronic Malnutrition in Children Under 5 Years in High-Prevalence Districts of Sofala Province, Mozambique, 2025

This article analyzes the social determinants of chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age in Sofala Province, Mozambique. The objective is to understand how socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and institutional factors contribute to the persistence of child malnutrition. A narrative literature review was conducted, including scientific articles and reports from WHO, FAO, UNICEF, Fiocruz, and FDC. Official websites of the Ministry of Health (MISAU) were also consulted to analyze relevant information on the subject. The results reveal prevalences above 30%, with an increase in 2025, showing that the main determinants are associated with structural poverty, dependence on subsistence agriculture, harmful cultural practices, climate shocks, and fragility of health and sanitation services. It is concluded that chronic malnutrition is a multidimensional problem that requires multisectoral and culturally adapted policies, with a focus on the first thousand days of life. The sustainability of interventions remains dependent on international support. The main limitation was the scarcity of local longitudinal data. Future operational studies are recommended to deepen the understanding of the magnitude of malnutrition in Sofala.

Chronic malnutrition, Social determinants, Children under 5 years

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