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

Abstract

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 children born between July 2000 and June 2002 were enrolled consecutively base on The Prospective Cohort of Thai Children. 60 twin infants and 35 dead and abnormal children (including one of twin infant) were excluded. Then, the remaining 4,151 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 shows 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, this study found that the most significant risk factors related to all three child nutritional status such as underweight, stunting and wasting (AOR= 10.07, 95% CI= 2.87-35.28), (AOR= 4.49, 95% CI= 1.16-17.39), (AOR= 3.94, 95% CI= 1.241-12.49) were birth weight respectively. In the final model for child stunting status was control of sleeping time by using rational style (AOR=1.839, 95%CI, 0.585-5.781). For wasting status, it was the mother who did not playing a doll with the children (AOR= 2.090, 95%CI, 0.520-8.394) and care taker who control of sleeping time of the children by using rational style related to underweight status (AOR= 4.714, 95% CI= 1.163-19.097) were strongest factor (p-<0.05).

This study indicated that child rearing style at age 6 months among this population effect to nutritional status for children at first year of life. Therefore, health policy and education regarding to child rearing pattern toward among parental in Thailand is needed.