Malnutrition in children under five years in a squatter settlement of Karachi: a case-control study

BMC Public Health

Table 4 Child related risk factors for malnutrition

Risk factor	Case	Control	Odds ratio OR	95%confidence interval	P value
Delivery place			1.87	1.14–3.08	0.007
Home/private clinic	100	80
Hospital	40	60
Total	140	140
Delivery conducted by			1.91	1.18–3.08	0.004
Dai/Relative/LHW	91	69
Doctor/Trained Midwife	49	71
Birth weight			1.17	0.6–2.22	0.625
LBW	24	21
Normal weight	116	119
Total	140	140
Immunization			1.56	0.889–2.73	0.060
Incomplete for age/no record	38	27
Complete for age	102	113
Breast feeding			3.778	2.22–6.4	0.0001
No Exclusive for 6 months	112	72
Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months	28	68
Weaning age			2.593	1.53–4.39	0.0002
Early or late (< 6 or > 6.5 months)	110	82
Appropriate (6-6.5 months)	30	58
Frequency of common illnesses			1.02	0.6–1.6	0.453
Once in 2 months or more frequently	70	69
Once in 3 months or occasionally	70	71
History of worm infestation			1.35	0.7–2.5	0.171
Yes	27	21
No	113	119
Soil/mud eating habit			0.56	0.2–1.4	0.120
Yes	7	12
No	133	128

ISSN: 1471-2458