DEVELOPMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERNUTRITION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/vfcskd60Keywords:
Child nutrition, Stunting, Underweight, Developmental delay, Early childhood developmentAbstract
A total of 300 children were included in the study and assessed for both nutritional status and developmental outcomes. Undernutrition was common, with substantial proportions of children exhibiting stunting, underweight, and wasting according to WHO anthropometric standards. Developmental screening identified delays across multiple domains, including gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive, and social development, with language delay being the most frequently observed deficit. Children with indicators of undernutrition demonstrated significantly higher rates of developmental delay compared with their well-nourished peers. The prevalence of developmental delay was greatest among stunted children, followed by those who were underweight and wasted. Language and cognitive domains showed the strongest associations with poor nutritional status. Chi-square analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between nutritional deficits and developmental outcomes across all major developmental domains (p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of developmental delay while controlling for potential confounding variables. Stunting emerged as a strong independent predictor of developmental delay, followed by underweight and wasting. Children with anaemia were also significantly more likely to experience developmental impairment compared with non-anaemic children. In addition, low maternal educational status was independently associated with an increased likelihood of developmental delay, suggesting the influence of both biological and environmental factors on child development. The combined effects of chronic undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and adverse socioeconomic circumstances appeared to contribute substantially to poorer developmental outcomes. Children exposed to multiple risk factors demonstrated the highest probability of developmental delay. Overall, the findings indicate a clear and significant association between nutritional status and developmental performance, highlighting that undernourished children are at considerably greater risk of delayed achievement of developmental milestones, particularly in language and cognitive domains. These results emphasize the importance of early nutritional assessment and intervention as part of comprehensive child development programmes.
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