The incidence of malnutrition among children under 5 years old at the nutrition clinic at Haiphong Children’s Hospital in 2022

Abstract

Objective. The study was done to estimate the incidence of malnutrition in children under 5 years old at the nutrition clinic of Haiphong Children’Hospital in 2022. Method. The subjects included children under 5 who came for medical examination and nutritional counseling at the nutritional clinic. The method was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Results. The underweight, stunting, and wasting were 10.6%, 12.6%, and 14.3% respectively. The incidences of all 3 types of malnutrition increased with age groups and peaked at the age of 36-<48 months and went down at the age of 48-<60 months. Being underweight and stunting affected more girls than boys, boys and girls were wasted similarly. All forms of malnutrition had a high rate of moderate and highest at the age of 36-<48 months, there were not differences in the severity of all forms of malnutrition. Conclusions. Malnutrition was a common disease among children under 5 who came to the nutritional examination and counseling of the nutrition clinic at Haiphong Children’s Hospital especially wasting and stunting types.