Then and Now: Investigating Anthropometrics and Child Mortality among Females in Malawi

Sally Sonia Simmons, John Elvis Hagan and Thomas Schack
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Sally Sonia Simmons: Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK
John Elvis Hagan: Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation, College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast PMB TF0494, Ghana
Thomas Schack: Neurocognition and Action Research Group—Biomechanics, Faculty of Psychology & Sport Sciences/CITEC, Bielefeld University, Postfach 10 01 31, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Information on the concentration of body mass index and child death among females in Malawi, where the epidemics of weight gain have been disconcerting and preventable deaths among children linger, is limited. Therefore, the study examined the polarity of body mass index and the death of children among females. Using data from the Malawian Demographic and Health Survey from 2000 to 2015–2016, the study applied for the first time the index of concentration at the extremes and indirect demographic techniques to estimate the polarity of body mass index and child mortality among 65,499 females aged 15 to 49 years. The preponderance of obesity more than doubled from 2000 to 2015–2016 and was highest among females who were older (35–49 years), urban dwellers, rich, and located in districts within the central and southern regions. In addition, child survival was low among underweight, overweight, and obese females. While national-, regional-, and individual-level statistics are in development, these findings provide helpful information for health experts and other stakeholders to initiate appropriate age-region specific programs and interventions in Malawi, including targeting females in the high socio-economic bracket.

Keywords: child mortality; females; Malawi; obesity; overweight; underweight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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