Relationship between child rearing and child nutritional status during the first year of life in Thailand

• Main Authors: Mai Beniko, Aroonsri Mongkolchati, Jiraporn Chompikul, Rutja Phuphaibul
• Other Authors: Mahidol University. ASEAN Institute for Health Development
• Format: Original Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Child nutritional status; Child rearing; Underweight; Stunting; Wasting; Open Access article; Journal of Public Health and Development; วารสารสาธารณสุขและการพัฒนา
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/2416
• Institution: Mahidol University

This descriptive study was conducted to determine relationship between child rearing and child nutritional status during the first year of life. A total of 4,245 cohort children were collected between July 2000 and June 2002 based on the Prospective Cohort of Thai Children. 60 twin infants and 35 dead and abnormal children were excluded. Then, the remaining 4,150 children were conducted for data analysis. The statistics was used by Chi-square tests and Multiple Logistic Regressions were used for identifying influential predictor and child nutritional status (underweight, stunting and wasting) at the first year of age. The finding showed that 8.3% of the children were underweight (weight for age), 9.5% of the children were stunting (height for age) and 5.7% of the children were wasting (weight for height) according to WHO reference. After adjusting the potential confounding factors in the multiple logistic regression, this study found that birth weight was the most significant risk factor related to all three child nutritional status such as underweight (Adj. OR= 10.07, 95% CI= 2.87-35.28), stunting (Adj. OR= 4.49, 95% CI= 1.16-17.39) and wasting (Adj. OR= 3.94, 95% CI= 1.24-12.49). In addition, the significant factor associated with child underweight in the final model was controlling of sleeping time by using rational style (Adj. OR=4.71, 95% CI=1.16-19.10), and for wasting status was types of main caregivers (relative) (Adj. OR= 4.04, 95% CI=1.15-14.21). This study indicated that child rearing style age 6 months among this population effect to nutritional status for children first year of life. Therefore, health policy and education regarding to appropriate child rearing pattern toward among parents in Thailand should be promoted.