Nutritional vulnerabilities among Rohingya refugee children in Cox’s Bazar: a cross-sectional analysis

The rapid influx of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar has raised significant public health concerns, particularly regarding the nutritional well-being of children aged 0–5 years. This study aimed to assess dietary patterns and the nutritional status of these vulnerable children in the Rohingya camps. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to June 2024 in the Rohingya camps of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. A total of 402 respondents were approached using convenience sampling, with 384 valid responses analyzed and all respondents were mothers of the children aged 0–59 months, aged 15–45 years. Dietary patterns were evaluated using structured interviews that captured infant feeding practices including colostrum feeding, exclusive breastfeeding, feeding frequency, and food types. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, height, and middle upper arm circumferences (MUAC) for age) were obtained following World Health Organization (WHO) standard procedures, and nutritional status was classified based on WHO z-scores. Data were collected in designated camp healthcare centers and temporary shelters and dietary patterns were explored using structured interviews. Nutritional status was assessed via WHO-based anthropometric measures including weight-for-age, height-for-age, and MUAC. Dietary analysis showed that children who received exclusive breastfeeding and colostrum feeding were more likely to be in the normal nutritional category (p = 0.02), whereas intake of instant foods or sugary drinks was associated with higher malnutrition (p = 0.002). Specifically, 39.84% of the children were stunted, 37.76% were underweight, and 15.10% experienced wasting. Significant associations were observed between malnutrition and factors such as larger family size, lower mother’s education, suboptimal colostrums feeding practices, and non-exclusive breastfeeding. These results underscore the multifactorial nature of malnutrition in this refugee population. The study demonstrates that malnutrition is alarmingly prevalent among Rohingya children, influenced by socio-demographic factors and infant feeding practices. Targeted nutritional interventions, improved health education for mothers, and enhanced access to healthcare services are recommended to mitigate malnutrition in these communities.