Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey - Childinfo.org

Nutritional Status
Table 5.1 shows percentages of children classified into each of these categories, based on the
anthropometric measurements that were taken during fieldwork. Additionally, the table
includes the percentage of children who are overweight, which takes into account those
children whose weight for height is above two standard deviations from the median of the
reference population, and mean z-scores for all three anthropometric indicators. Obesity is
usually a result of poor nutritional practices (low intake of proteins, fruit and vegetables; high
intake of saturated fats and sugar) and is a risk factor for some chronic diseases, like
cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Table 5.1: Nutritional status of children
Percentage of children under age 5 by nutritional status according to three anthropometric indices: weight for age, height for age, and weight for height,
Afghanistan, 2010-2011
Weight for age
Height for age
Weight for height
Sex
Underweight
Mean
Number
of
Stunted
percent below Z-
Score
children
under
percent below
- 2
(SD) age 5
SD1 - 3
SD2 - 2
SD3 - 3
SD4 Mean
Z-
Score
(SD)
Number
of
children
under
age 5
Wasted Overweight
percent
below
percent
above
Male 33.8 19.4 -1.1 6,785 56.3 38.8 -2.1 6,345 20.0 12.9 21.1 0.3 6,249
Female 28.4 15.7 -1.0 6,434 53.7 37.3 -1.9 6,199 15.4 9.7 20.0 0.4 5,997
Region
- 2
SD 5
- 3
SD 6
+ 2 SD
Mean
Z-
Score
(SD)
Number
of
children
under
age 5
Central 27.7 13.9 -1.1 2,047 54.0 33.5 -2.0 1,990 13.1 8.2 15.9 0.7 1,959
Central
Highlands 29.7 13.7 -1.2 473 59.5 37.3 -2.1 457 13.3 8.3 13.9 0.3 460
East 37.6 22.0 -1.2 1,361 64.4 45.7 -2.3 1,327 17.3 12.3 22.7 0.2 1,289
North 31.9 16.9 -1.0 1,911 57.5 41.9 -2.0 1,834 17.4 11.0 23.5 0.4 1,764
North East 23.7 11.8 -0.8 2,291 47.1 29.8 -1.5 2,215 19.3 11.9 20.2 0.2 2,180
South 48.7 31.6 -1.8 1,481 65.9 53.1 -2.5 1,338 29.5 19.0 20.6 -0.1 1,248
South East 22.3 13.7 -0.7 1,921 43.4 30.4 -1.8 1,792 15.6 8.6 24.3 0.4 1,783
West 34.4 20.2 -1.2 1,734 59.4 40.5 -2.1 1,591 16.9 11.8 19.5 0.5 1,564
Residence
Age
Urban 23.5 12.3 -0.8 2,239 50.0 30.8 -1.8 2,163 11.9 7.9 18.6 0.7 2,120
Rural 32.7 18.7 -1.1 10,981 56.1 39.6 -2.0 10,381 19.0 12.0 21.0 0.3 10,126
0-5 months 35.5 28.2 -0.4 881 30.9 21.2 -0.2 748 25.6 16.6 22.4 -0.1 725
6-11 months 27.6 17.5 -0.6 884 32.9 19.2 -0.8 821 19.3 10.9 19.9 0.1 829
12-23 months 32.8 19.0 -1.0 2,245 54.5 37.8 -2.0 2,090 18.8 12.0 18.0 0.1 2,126
24-35 months 35.2 19.9 -1.2 2,979 60.7 44.5 -2.3 2,810 20.3 13.6 21.0 0.3 2,793
36-47 months 27.8 15.1 -1.2 3,112 62.4 43.6 -2.4 3,025 14.0 9.3 22.0 0.6 2,906
48-59 months 29.3 13.9 -1.2 3,119 54.7 35.9 -2.1 3,050 16.0 9.3 20.3 0.6 2,867
Mother’s education
None 31.9 18.0 -1.1 11,976 56.0 39.1 -2.0 11,348 18.4 11.8 21.0 0.4 11,085
Primary 26.6 14.7 -0.9 657 47.4 30.6 -1.7 629 12.3 8.0 16.1 0.5 616
Secondary + 22.0 11.6 -0.7 583 42.8 24.4 -1.4 560 11.4 6.0 16.6 0.3 544
Wealth index quintile
Poorest 37.4 20.5 -1.3 2,723 64.8 47.2 -2.4 2,557 18.2 12.8 21.2 0.3 2,490
Second 33.1 19.9 -1.1 2,811 57.1 41.7 -2.1 2,655 19.8 12.5 23.0 0.4 2,576
Middle 31.8 18.8 -1.1 2,643 53.1 37.4 -1.9 2,470 21.1 13.1 22.2 0.2 2,456
Fourth 28.5 15.6 -1.0 2,647 50.2 32.8 -1.8 2,550 17.1 10.1 18.7 0.3 2,467
26