Risk factors of malnutrition among preschool children in Terengganu, Malaysia: a case control study

BMC Public Health

Table 2 Comparison of household food security status and dietary intake between cases and controls

Variables	Case (n = 137)		Control (n = 137)
	Mean ± sd	n (%)	Mean ± sd	n (%)	p value
Household food security status					<0.001
Household food secure		52 (38)		74 (54)
Household food insecure		26 (19)		40 (29.2)
Individual food insecure		31 (22.6)		21 (15.3)
Child hunger		28 (20.4)		2 (1.5)
Child’s dietary intake
Kilocalories (kcal)	715 ± 206		1035 ± 213		<0.001
% TE/RNI	78		109
Protein (g)	28 ± 11		39.5 ± 13.8		<0.001
% TP/RNI	169		230
Vitamin A (RE)	387 ± 278		643 ± 388		<0.001
% Vit A/RNI	94		159
Iron (mg)	6.9 ± 3.8		10.5 ± 4.9		<0.001
% Fe/RNI	165		257

Note. case = moderate to severe malnourished preschool children with z-scores < −2SD from the median of WHO reference based on visits to health clinics of Terengganu, Malaysia between April - August 2012; control = child without malnutrition with z-scores between -2SD and +2SD, age-matched and selected from the same health clinic as case; sd = standard deviation; n = total number; RNI = recommended nutrients intake; %TE/RNI = percentage of total dietary energy intake as compared to RNI; %TP/RNI = percentage of total dietary protein intake as compared to RNI; % Vit A/RNI = percentage of total dietary vitamin A intake as compared to RNI; % Fe/RNI = percentage of total dietary iron intake as compared to RNI; significance level is p < 0.05.

ISSN: 1471-2458