Weight Faltering and its Major Immediate Risk Factors up to 2 Years of Age in Children Attending Health Care Centers, East of Tehran

Weight faltering is one of the most important health problems of children in developing communities. Factors such as infectious diseases in some regions and nutritional factors in the others have been suggested as risk factors for weight faltering. Since determining the risk factors of malnutrition and preventing them in children is crucial, a study was conducted to determine the major immediate risk factors of weight faltering up to 2 years of age in children attending health care centers in east region of Tehran. This study was carried out using existing data. Via cluster sampling 1660 two-year old children attending to 5 health care centers in east region of Tehran were selected and data was gathered from their health files. Term birth, being offspring of a uniparous labor, having no certain post-natal, genetic or congenital diseases and on time attending to health center for growth monitoring were the study inclusion criteria. The chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and logistic regression tests were used to determine relationship between risk factors and weight faltering. The major risk factors were determined by odd's ratio. Girls consisted 55.5% of the children. Mean of the birth weight was 3202±463 grams. Weight faltering was occurred in 1119 (67.4%) children from birth up to 2 years of life. The great number of children had weight faltering in 9 to 11 months of age. Frequency of risk factors of weight loss was the least during the first 6 months of life. Weaning (OR=64.7), introducing complementary foods (OR=16.9), diarrhea (OR=15.3) and respiratory infections (OR=11.8) were the major risk factors. Mother's educational level and job status were not related to weight loss. Prevalence of weight faltering was high in the studied sample, hence, further attention and survey are strongly recommended. Since the major risk factors of weight faltering up to 2 years of age are controllable, it seems that enabling mothers towards proper feeding of children could help to reduce the prevalence of weight faltering.