Assessing the nutritional status of the preschool 6-59 month old children and some related factors in earthquake affected areas of Bam

Several factors, including natural disasters can affect food chain and thus the nutritional status. On December 2002 a devastating earthquake hit the city of Bam and the surrounding areas. Due to the lack of direct information on the nutritional status of children in the area, this study was performed to assess prevalence of malnutrition and a number of related factors in children 6 to 59 months of age in Bam and surrounding rural areas, to be a basis for further planning. Methods and material: This survey was carried out on November 2003 in the city of Bam, Baravaat, and the surrounding affected villages on a sample of 500 children 6 to 50 months old. Weight (Kg) and height (Cm) were obtained and weight for height, weight for age and height for age Z scores were calculated for children and BMI (Kg/m²) for mothers was calculated. Information on child and the caregiver characteristics, child food patterns, socio-economic status of the household, family access to health care and hygienic potable water and environmental health and sanitation of the living places were collected by a questionnaire.

The prevalence of moderate and severe underweight, stunting and wasting (WAZ, HAZ and WHZ under -2SD NCHS 1978) was 15.2, 8.9 and 5.6 percent, respectively. Prevalence of wasting in children 6 to 24 months of age was larger than older children (P=0.005), while stunting was more prevalent in those aged 24 months and older (P=0.007). Children who had been born with low birth weight (LBW), were more susceptible to wasting (P=0.001 and OR=7.50) and underweight (P≤0.001 and OR=4.45). Children who were breastfed for more than 18 months, were 2.09 times more susceptible to stunting (P=0.023). The findings indicate that the main nutritional problem in this area is moderate to severe underweight, as well as stunting. The nutritional status of children in the area is still better than the Kerman province. It is necessary to address the nutritional status and food habits of women during pregnancy and to carry out interventions to reduce the risk of LBW: Therefore, improving the food patterns of preschool children can guarantee better health status following natural or manmade disasters.