Variability of Malnutrition by Gender among Under Five Children in Bangladesh: Illustration Using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2011 and 2014 Data

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue I, January 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Variability of Malnutrition by Gender among Under Five Children in Bangladesh: Illustration Using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2011 and 2014 Data

Sukanta Das^1,*, Habiba Akter², Abdul Muyeed³

¹Lecturer, Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh
²Research Student, Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh
³Lecturer, Department of Statistics, Islamic University, Bangladesh
^*Corresponding Author: Sukanta Das

Abstract– Bangladesh has shown a lot of progress in reducing child malnutrition in the last few years. Despite this progress, control of the variability of child nourishment with gender is still a challenge. But, gender-based nourishment equality is most important to continue the sustainable development progress of child nutrition in Bangladesh. This study unveils the underlying variability of child nourishment with gender. The relevant child data for this study were extracted from the two rounds of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) conducted in 2011 and 2014. To examine the extract of nutrition, we used the measurement of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height. The main findings of this paper were, the male child had less stunting prevalence than the female in 2011 but higher in 2014. The male child had less underweight prevalence than the female in both years, whereas the male child had greater wasting prevalence than the female in both years. To reduce the variability of child nourishment, it must need to arrange split program and ensure equal food habit for each category of gender.

Keywords– Malnutrition, Variability, Stunting, Wasting, Underweight, Z-score

I. INTRODUCTION

Malnutrition is a condition that refers to both the nutrition deficiency and over consumption of nutrients. More commonly used term ‘under-nutrition’ which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals). Here we consider under-nutrition and malnutrition equivalently. Malnutrition among children adversely affects the national economy and sustainable development ofa country.

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