Undernutrition in Children under Five Years Old Hospitalized in Six Healthcare Facilities in Brazzaville

Aim: To contribute to improving the nutritional status of children under five. Method: This was an analytical cross-sectional study covering the period from January to October 2021. Children under five years of age hospitalized in the pediatric wards of six Brazzaville hospitals for undernutrition, together with their mothers, constituted our study population. The study variables were: sociodemographic in relation to the parents and the child, clinical in relation to the child, notably: history, psychomotor development, feeding behaviour, assessment of nutritional status. The statistical test used was: Chi2. Results: Out of 6480 children hospitalized in the selected pediatric wards, 320 (4.9%) were suffering from undernutrition. These included 170 boys (53%) and 150 girls (47%), sex ratio 1.1 and median age 22.66 ± 13.84 months. Children were fed mother’s milk from the first hour (38.4%, n = 123). The rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was 35.3% (n = 113) and the average duration of mother’s milk feeding was 15 months. The average age of the mothers was 25 years, and 70.10% (n = 225) lived with a partner. The infants were undernourished without oedema 65% (n = 208) and mixed 11% (n = 35). Undernutrition was moderate 70% (n = 224) and severe 30% (96). Mothers’ lack of schooling and parents’ lifestyle were associated with undernutrition. Conclusion: The prominence of undernutrition in Brazzaville’s paediatric wards, and the type of associated factors identified, call for reinforced communication to change behaviour during antenatal consultations. But primary prevention lies in improving the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the population.