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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Altrena G. Mukuria, DrPH and Monica T. Kothari, MPH. Division of Demographic Health Research, ORC Macro, 11785 Beltsville Rd, Calverton, MD 20705, 301-572-0200, altrena.g.mukuria@orcmacro.com

Patterns of malnutrition are complex and require policies and programs that go beyond food security, child health and infant feeding practices. Although the coexistence of under and overnutrition at the household level is more prevalent in Latin America, it is also evident in sub-Saharan Africa. Garrett and Ruel (2003) coined a term, SCOWT, describing the phenomenon of a stunted child and overweight mother. According to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2003, 30 % of children under five years are stunted. Only 9% of women age 15-49 years are undernourished, but 25% are overweight. What are the determinants of the SCOWT relationship in Ghana? Preliminary results indicate that a larger percentage of SCOWT mothers are older (30-39 years), reside in rural areas (55%), have no education (33%), and fall within the poorest wealth quintile than overweight mothers with not-stunted children. A larger percentage of SCOWT children are boys (55%), are over 24 months of age (71%), and are of a sixth or higher birth order (35%) than non-SCOWT children. SCOWT children are more likely to live in households that use unimproved water sources, use a dirty cooking fuel, and are less likely to have access to a flush toilet. Using a sample of 140 SCOWT pairs and 536 overweight mother-not-stunted child pairs, logistic regression analysis will be used to identify the factors (maternal and child characteristics, child feeding practices, child illness episodes and environmental living conditions) that determine the SCOWT relationship and implications for policy and programs.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Recognize the significance of SCOWT as not only a problem of malnutrition in developing countries.
• Describe health, nutrition and/or development interventions that would best address the problem of SCOWT
• Analyze the policy and programmatic implications of the need for integrated interventions for dual malnutrition households

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation