Prevalence, Clinical Forms, and Exploratory Risk Modeling of Malnutrition among Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in the Commune of Aplahoué (Couffo, Benin) in 2020
Edayé BJD, Noudamadjo A, Klikpézo R, Amouzoun S, Agonnoudé MT, Adedemy JD, Ezinmegnon MBP, Chabi A and Olujobi SJ
Introduction: Child malnutrition remains a major public health issue in Benin. This study assessed its prevalence, clinical forms, and modeled associated risk factors among children in Aplahoué.
Methods: An analytical, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among 313 children aged 6 to 59 months, selected through twostage cluster sampling. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to WHO (2006) standards. Statistical analyses, including multivariate logistic regressions and ROC curve assessment, were used to identify determinants of malnutrition. The final model integrated relevant sociodemographic and anthropometric variables, with collinearity control and validation through the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.
Results: The prevalence of acute, underweight, and chronic malnutrition was 29.4%, 31.7%, and 48.9%, respectively. Severe forms predominated (marasmus: 17.7%). The multivariate predictive modelincluding sex, age, birth weight, maternal BMI, and education levelshowed a modest but statistically significant discriminative ability (AUC = 0.581; p = 0.0206). At the optimal cutoff (0.263), sensitivity reached 76%, indicating a potential utility for early identification of children at risk in a screening context.
Conclusion: Child malnutrition remains a major concern in Aplahoué; integrated interventions targeting socio-economic and maternal determinants are essential.
