Malawi 2015-16

NUTRITION OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN 11
Key Findings
Nutritional status of children: Thirty-seven percent of
children under age 5 are stunted (short for their age); 3%
are wasted (thin for their height); 12% are underweight
(thin for their age) and 5% are overweight (heavy for their
height).
Breastfeeding: Almost all children (98%) are breastfed
at some time. Sixty-one percent of infants under age 6
months are exclusively breastfed.
Minimum acceptable diet: Feeding practices of only 8%
of children age 6-23 months meet the minimum
acceptable dietary standards.
Anaemia: Sixty-three percent of children age 6-59
months and 33% of women age 15-49 are anaemic.
Iron: One-third of women with a child born in the past 5
years took iron tablets for 90 days or more during the
pregnancy of their last child.
Obesity: One in five (21%) of women age 15-49 are
overweight or obese.
Salt iodisation: Nine of ten households used iodised salt
for cooking.
T
his chapter focuses on the nutritional status of children and women. The chapter describes the
nutritional status of children under age 5 and infant and young child feeding practices, including
breastfeeding and feeding with solid/semisolid foods. The chapter also addresses the diversity of
foods, the frequency of feeding, micronutrient status, supplementation, fortification, and other relevant
aspects of the nutritional status of women age 15-49.
11.1 NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN
The anthropometric data on height and weight collected in the 2015-16 MDHS permit the measurement
and evaluation of the nutritional status of young children in Malawi. This evaluation allows identification
of subgroups of the child population that are at increased risk of faltered growth, disease, impaired mental
development, and death.
11.1.1 Measurement of Nutritional Status among Young Children
The 2015-16 MDHS measured the weight and height of children under age 5 in a subsample of one-third
of households, regardless of whether their mothers were interviewed in the survey. Weight was measured
with an electronic SECA 878 flat scale designed for mobile use. For the weighing of very young children,
the mother or caretaker was weighed first. The mother or caretaker was weighed again while holding the
child. An automatic two-in-one adjustment button allowed the mother’s stored weight to be deducted, and
Nutrition of Children and Women • 159