An overview on acute malnutrition and food insecurity among children during the conflict in Yemen

Background: This study aims to describe malnutrition among children under five and to describe the food insecurity status during the current conflict in Yemen. Methods: Data were obtained from a Yemeni nutrition surveillance program (pilot phase) targeting 4142 households with 5276 children under fi...

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Hauptverfasser: Dureab, Fekri (VerfasserIn) , Al-Falahi, Eshraq (VerfasserIn) , Ismail, Osan (VerfasserIn) , Al-Marhali, Lina (VerfasserIn) , Al-Jawaldeh, Ayoub (VerfasserIn) , Nuri, Nazmun Nahar (VerfasserIn) , Safary, Elvis (VerfasserIn) , Jahn, Albrecht (VerfasserIn)
Dokumenttyp: Article (Journal)
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: 5 June 2019
In: Children
Year: 2019, Jahrgang: 6, Heft: 6, Pages: 1-8
ISSN:2227-9067
DOI:10.3390/children6060077
Online-Zugang:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3390/children6060077
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/6/6/77
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Verfasserangaben:Fekri Dureab, Eshraq Al-Falahi, Osan Ismail, Lina Al-Marhali, Ayoub Al Jawaldeh, Nazmun Nahar Nuri, Elvis Safary and Albrecht Jahn
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Zusammenfassung:Background: This study aims to describe malnutrition among children under five and to describe the food insecurity status during the current conflict in Yemen. Methods: Data were obtained from a Yemeni nutrition surveillance program (pilot phase) targeting 4142 households with 5276 children under five from two governorates (Ibb and Sana&rsquo;a). Results: Global acute malnutrition was found in 13.3% of overall screened children, while 4.9% had severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 8.4% had moderate acute malnutrition. One-fifth of the children under six months of age were acutely malnourished, followed by children under two years at 18.5% based on weight-for-height z scores. Significant associations between malnutrition and other diseases included suspected measles at three times higher rates (4.5%, p < 0.00) among SAM cases than other children. Diarrhea, fever, and cough were significantly higher among the SAM group (p < 0.05). Most households depended on market food purchases in the month preceding this survey (84.7%). Household coping mechanisms to secure daily meals included borrowing food to survive, changing types and quality of food, and decreasing the number of meals per day; some families sent their children to live with relatives. Conclusion: Malnutrition is a serious public health problem. The humanitarian community needs to adopt alternative strategies to improve food security and the nutrition status in Yemen.
Beschreibung:Gesehen am 23.10.2019
Beschreibung:Online Resource
ISSN:2227-9067
DOI:10.3390/children6060077