Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Stunting, Wasting, and Underweight Among Primary School Children in Kandahar City, Afghanistan

By:
Bilal Ahmad Rahimi, Aziz Ahmad Khalid, Wais Mohammad Lali, Wahid Ahmad Khalid, Javed Ahmad Rahimi, Walter R. Taylor
Date:
2024
Resource type:
Blogs/news/opinion
Link:

This study assesses malnutrition among primary school children in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, finding that 47.4% were stunted, 19.5% were wasted, and 25.6% were underweight. Key risk factors include poverty, large family size, maternal illiteracy, and skipping breakfast.

The study highlights the urgent need for school-based feeding programs, nutrition education, and improved sanitation to combat undernutrition among Afghan schoolchildren. The findings support policy recommendations for targeted public health interventions in urban settings.

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