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Why is malnutrition more prevalent among male children under 5 years than female children in the same age bracket

This question was posted the Assessment and Surveillance forum area and has 6 replies.

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Anonymous 40886

M40Re Analytics

Normal user

22 Feb 2022, 13:23

James Lual

Nutrition Information Coordinator

Normal user

22 Feb 2022, 14:36

 I would like to quantify this hypothesis:The prevalence of malnutrition is high in male gender compare to female gender due to the fact that boys  spend more times than girls at homes. 

James Lual

Nutrition Information Coordinator

Normal user

22 Feb 2022, 14:56

I mean the prevalence is higher in male compare to female because male spend more times outside homes than female.

Anonymous 2824

Normal user

22 Feb 2022, 15:26

Well the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan is totally change and malnutrition is more prevalent in female as Compare to male and the reasons are very specific

1. The outmost reason is female birth ratios are higher.

2. More attention to male child as compare to female at household level.

3. Male are consider as income generators of future so more caring of male.

thanks

Andy Seal

Associate Prof. International Nutrition

Frequent user

22 Feb 2022, 16:47

Hello

We recently published a review that summarises the availble evidence on sex and malnutrition in children. This does confirm that, in most contexts, malnutrition is higher in males than females. Incidentally, this is also the case for U5DR.

https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/12/e004030

In the paper we speculate a little about possible reasons for this sex difference. Myself, I suspect that, as mentioned above, the time out of the house, away from the kitchen, may be important. However, more research is definetely needed to understand the risk factors better. There is another paper coming out soon where we explore in more detail the possible mechanisms involved. 

Tammam Ali Mohammed Ahmed

Nutrition Specialist/ Save the Children

Normal user

7 Mar 2022, 11:26

For many SMART surveys we are conducting, it is the same finding that boys are more affected more than girls, particularly with GAM WHZ criterion. But, we have observed wasted girls slightly higher than boys in the  same SMART survyes with MUAC cut off points. Additionaly, combined SAM (WHZ+MUAC) or stunitng in few zones revealed undernutrition is slightly higher in girls than boys

Anonymous 40886

M40Re Analytics

Normal user

11 Mar 2022, 16:56

Thank you for the responses

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