Sociodemographic determinants of malnutrition amongst under-five children: Insights for public health interventions

Objectives: Adequate nutrition is crucial for a child’s growth and development, yet malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in India. Despite economic progress, undernutrition, stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiencies continue to affect a large proportion of children under five, while emerging overweight adds to the complexity. The study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition, including both undernutrition and overweight, amongst children under-five years of age, and to examine the association of these nutritional outcomes with selected sociodemographic variables. Material and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural field practice area. Five villages under primary health centre were randomly selected and a total of 210 children under five were selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements following the World Health Organization guidelines. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Results: Amongst the participants, 16.7% were underweight (6.2% severely), 31.9% stunted (15.2% severely) and 21.9% wasted (10% severely). In addition, 11% of children were overweight, reflecting the dual burden of malnutrition within the same population. Age, gender and socioeconomic status showed significant associations with undernutrition. Conclusion: The study highlights a high burden of malnutrition in rural Bangalore, with both undernutrition and rising overweight coexisting. These findings underscore the need for age-specific, equity-focused interventions to support vulnerable groups and to address the double burden of malnutrition in rural India. The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and use of convenience sampling, which may restrict generalisability. Nevertheless, the results provide important local evidence to guide interventions and support progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030.