Risk Factors of Malnutrition among Children under Five Year of Age in Mohamed Alamin Paediatric Hospital University of Bahri - Khartoum, Sudan

This study was conducted in Sudan Khartoum state, Omdurman locality, (Mohamed AlaminPaediatricHospital) within the period of 7/2 to 22/5 /2015. The objectives was to identify risk factors contributing to malnutrition among children less than five year and to identify immediate factors contributing to malnutrition. This study was based on WHO classification of child from 0-59 month weight for height (HFH less than-3 z-score, Or MUAC less than115 mm). With the interpretation of the MUAC in this study the weight for height of the majority is (less than-3SD), a high percentage of children (66.7 %) had a MUAC of less than less than11cm (110mm), showing severe malnutrition and (28.6 %) had a MUAC of between 11 and 12cm, indicating moderate malnutrition. The majority of mother were breastfeeding their children having an idea of beneficial toward breastfeeding. This is one of good practices among Sudanese mothers. Low family income were found to be major risk factor of malnutrition among children. The study concluded that the Malnutrition is more prevalent in male children between 1-2 year of age and the low family income were found to be main factor contributed to malnutrition among children less than five years.