Nutritional status of children: results from the demographic and health surveys 1994-2001

This report reviews the nutritional status of children under 3 years of age in 41 developing countries. Nutritional status is based on anthropometric measurements of height and weight of children taken during household interviews conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program between 1994 and 2001. Five regions are included in this report: sub-Saharan Africa (23 countries) North Africa/West Asia/Europe (4 countries) Latin America and the Caribbean (7 countries) Central Asia (3 countries) and South/Southeast Asia (4 countries). Malnutrition includes both under- and over-nutrition. Although this report focuses primarily on undernutrition (stunting wasting and underweight) the prevalence of overweight is also reported. Important differentials of undernutrition such as age are presented. Using a conceptual framework for child nutritional status adapted from UNICEF this report explores variables representing four key influences (basic; underlying social and economic; underlyingbiological and behavioral; and immediate). As background to the report tables on infant and under-five mortality rates and the contribution of undernutrition to mortality are included. (excerpt)