Concurrent wasting and stunting among under-five children in Senegal
Research snapshot1
The study describes the patterns of concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) among children age 6-59 months living in the 1980s in Niakhar, a rural area of Senegal under demographic surveillance. Wasting and stunting were defined by z scores lower than −2 in weight for height (WHZ) and height for age (HAZ) respectively. Both conditions were found to be highly prevalent; wasting more so before age 30 months, stunting more so after age 30 months. As a result, concurrent WaSt peaked around age 18 months and its prevalence (6.2%) was primarily the product of the two conditions, with an interaction term of 1.57 (p < 10 −6). The interaction was due to the correlation between both conditions (more stunting if wasted, more wasting if stunted). Before age 30 months, boys were more likely to be concurrently wasted and stunted than girls (relative risk = 1.61), but the sex difference disappeared after 30 months of age. The excess susceptibility of younger boys could not be explained by muscle mass or fat mass measured by arm or muscle circumference, triceps, or subscapular skinfold. Concurrent WaSt was a strong risk factor for child mortality (the combined effect of WaSt explained some 51% of the total mortality), the effect of which was the product of the independent effect of each component, with no significant interaction. More research is needed on common factors underlying wasting and stunting, the potential increased susceptibility of one to the other (stunted children being more likely to become wasted and wasted children being more likely to become stunted) and potential underlying factors which cause variations by age and sex. Whatever the aetiology of WaSt, the authors argue that the case deserves more attention due to its dramatic impact on child survival.
Endnote
1Garenne M, Myatt M, Khara T, Dolan C, Briend A. Concurrent wasting and stunting among under-five children in Niakhar, Senegal. Matern Child Nutr. 2018; e12736. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12736
More like this
en-net: Concurrent wasting and stunting among under‐five children
Here is an article on Concurrent wasting and stunting among under‐five children in...
Resource: Concurrent wasting and stunting among under-five children in Niakhar, Senegal
Abstract The study describes the patterns of concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) among children age 6-59 months living in the 1980s in Niakhar, a rural area of Senegal...
FEX: Wasting and Stunting Technical Interest Group (WaSt TIG) meeting
On the 15th of January 2018 the Wasting and Stunting (WaSt) Technical Interest Group (TIG) held their third face-to-face meeting at Trinity College, Oxford. This group of 30...
The Wasting and Stunting Technical Interest Group (WaSt TIG): Investigating the relationship between wasting and stunting
Donor: Irish Aid, USAID, OFDA Collaborators: Technical Interest Group ENN project lead: Tanya Khara Timeframe: 2014 - ongoing Background While wasting and stunting share...
FEX: Improving screening for malnourished children at high risk of death
Research snapshot1 The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children with concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) require therapeutic feeding and to better...
en-net: New article on concurrent wasting and stunting
Here is a new article on concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt).
Key findings...
Resource: Children who are both wasted and stunted are also underweight and have a high risk of death: a descriptive epidemiology of multiple anthropometric deficits using data from 51 countries
Abstract Background: Wasting and stunting are common. They are implicated in the deaths of almost two million children each year and account for over 12% of...
FEX: Predicting coexistence of wasting and stunting in Guinea-Bissau: A secondary data analysis
Summary of MSc thesis1 By Abbi Sage Abbi Sage is a recent MSc graduate in Nutrition for Global Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is now part...
FEX: Making connections: Joint meeting of WaSt Technical Interest Group and MAMI Special Interest Group
ENN coordinates two international technical groups, the Management of at-risk Mothers and Infants under six months Special Interest Group (MAMI SIG) and the Wasting and...
FEX: Children concurrently wasted and stunted: A meta- analysis of prevalence data of children 6-59 months from 84 countries
Research summary1 Location: Global What we know: Wasting and stunting are often present in the same geographical populations and can exist concurrently in the same children,...
Blog post: Wasting and Stunting-making progress on understanding the links
Some of you will know that ENN has been coordinating a project with the expert steer of around 30 child growth and nutrition specialists from academia, donor and operational...
Wasting and Stunting-making progress on understanding the links
Friday 16th February, 2017 By Carmel Dolan, ENN Technical Director Some of you will know that ENN has been coordinating a project with the expert steer of around 30 child...
Resource: Improving screening for malnourished children at high risk of death: a study of children aged 6–59 months in rural Senegal
Abstract Objective: To investigate whether children with concurrent wasting and stunting require therapeutic feeding and to better understand whether multiple diagnostic...
FEX: The relationship between wasting and stunting: a retrospective cohort analysis of longitudinal data in Gambian children from 1976 to 2016
View this article as a pdf Summary of research1 Location: Gambia What we know: There are gaps in understanding the relationship between wasting and stunting that often...
FEX: Relationships between wasting and stunting and their concurrent occurrence in Ghanaian pre-school children
Summary of research* Location: Ghana. What we know: Wasting is a short-term health issue, but repeated episodes may lead to stunting (long-term or chronic malnutrition). This...
Blog post: Child wasting and stunting - are we where we need to be?
We've been on a high this week with the publication of the Viewpoint from the ENN coordinated Wasting-Stunting Technical Interest Group (WaSt TIG). 'Beyond wasted and...
FEX: The relationship between wasting and stunting: policy, programming and research implications
Summary of review1 This summary was prepared by Tanya Khara, an independent consultant engaged by the ENN on this review. The review was made possible by the generous support...
en-net: Using length/height to estimate Age of 6-59 month old children in high Stunting level countries
WHO recommended to use 60 cm as an estimate for 6 month old infants and 100 cm for the 59-60 month old children in countries with high stunting rates in 1995 Nutrition...
FEX: Child wasting and stunting: Time to overcome the separation
A briefing note for policy-makers and programme implementers was released in June 2018 by the ENN-coordinated Wasting-Stunting Technical Interest Group (WaSt TIG). The brief,...
Resource: The relationship between wasting and stunting: a retrospective cohort analysis of longitudinal data in Gambian children from 1976 to 2016
Abstract Background: The etiologic relationship between wasting and stunting is poorly understood, largely because of a lack of highquality longitudinal data from children at...
Reference this page
Concurrent wasting and stunting among under-five children in Senegal. Field Exchange 59, January 2019. p15. www.ennonline.net/fex/59/wastchildrenu5senegal
(ENN_6240)