Malawi 2015-16

11.5 MICRONUTRIENT INTAKE AND SUPPLEMENTATION AMONG CHILDREN
Micronutrient deficiency is a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality. Micronutrients are
available in foods and can be provided through direct supplementation. Breastfeeding children benefit from
supplements given to the mother.
The information collected on food consumption among the youngest children under age 2 is useful in
assessing the extent to which children are consuming food groups rich in two key micronutrients—vitamin
A and iron—in their daily diet. Iron deficiency is one of the primary causes of anaemia, which has serious
health consequences for both women and children. Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient for the immune
system and plays an important role in maintaining the epithelial tissue in the body. Severe vitamin A
deficiency (VAD) can cause eye damage and is the leading cause of childhood blindness. In addition, VAD
increases the severity of infections such as measles and diarrheal disease in children, and slows recovery
from illness. Severe VAD is common in dry environments where fresh fruits and vegetables are not readily
available.
Seventy-nine percent of children age 6-23 months ate foods rich in vitamin A in the day or night before the
interview, and 38% consumed iron-rich foods (Table 11.9). Intake of both vitamin A-rich and iron-rich
foods increases as children are weaned. Only 2% of children age 6-23 months were given micronutrient
powder in the 7 days before the survey.
The 2015-16 MDHS also included questions about whether young children had received iron supplements
in the 7 days before the survey or whether they had received vitamin A supplements or deworming
medication in the 6 months before the survey. Vitamin A supplementation is an important intervention in
preventing VAD in young children.
Among children age 6-59 months, 12% were given iron supplements in the 7 days before the survey. In the
six months before the survey, 64% of children age 6-59 months were given vitamin A supplements and
45% were given deworming medication. Nine in 10 children live in households with iodised salt.
Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are a remedy for acute malnutrition. The survey asked if young
children received RUTFs in the 7 days prior to the survey. In Malawi, the most commonly available
RUTFs are Chiponde and Likuni Phala. Among children age 6-35 months, in the 7 days before the survey,
2% received Chiponde and 5% received Likuni Phala (Table 11.10).
11.6 WOMEN’S NUTRITIONAL STATUS
The 2015-16 MDHS collected anthropometric data on height and weight for women age 15-49. These data
were used to calculate several measures of nutritional status such as maternal height and body mass index
(BMI).
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared
(kg/m 2 ). A BMI less than 18.5 indicates that the woman is too thin for her
height and has a chronic energy deficiency. At the other end of the scale,
women are considered overweight if their BMI falls between 25.0 and 29.9 and
are obese if their BMI is greater than or equal to 30.0.
Sample: Women age 15-49 who are not pregnant and who have not had a
birth in the 2 months before the survey
Nutrition of Children and Women • 167