Factors Affecting Body Mass Index Of Children And Adolescents With Learning Disability In Kelantan, Malaysia

Objectives: This study was conducted with two objectives, i) to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among children and adolescents with learning disability (LD) in Kelantan, a rural state located at the north-eastern region of Peninsular Malaysia; and ii) to examine the associations of participants’ socioeconomic and feeding characteristics with their body mass index (BMI). Methods: A total of 271 children and adolescents with LD aged between 4 to 19 years old were recruited from 32 community-based rehabilitation centres using purposive sampling method. Standing height and body weight of participants were measured. Socioeconomic and feeding information were obtained from their primary caregivers through interviews using structured questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the associations of socioeconomic and feeding characteristics with participants’ BMI. Results: The prevalence of underweight among children and adolescents with LD was 22.5%; while another 22.1% of them were overweight and obese. Multiple linear regression models showed that being Down’s syndrome (Adjusted regression coefficient β=2.63, p<0.001), birth weight (β=1.41, p=0.005), caregiver’s years of education (β=-0.26, p=0.003), eating duration (β=-0.06, p=0.025) and not needing food texture modification (β=2.63, p=0.001) were significantly associated with participant’s BMI. No significant association between monthly household income, ambulatory status, seizure status and eating ability with their BMI was found. Conclusions: This study presented that children and adolescents with LD in Kelantan were suffering from the double burden of malnutrition. The above findings would be helpful for the public health care system to initiate socialcultural sensitive rehabilitation strategies towards this population. Please download the full paper by clicking on the PDF file below...