Multidimensional Nature of Undernutrition: A Statistical Approach
Authors:
Georges Nguefack –Tsague and Léonie N. Dapi
Source:
Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Vol. 2(2) pp. 690-695 February 2011
Topic(s):
Nutrition
Country:
Africa
Cameroon
Published:
FEB 2011
Abstract:
The statistical assessment of undernutrition is usually restricted to a pairwise analysis of
anthropometric indicators. The main objective of this study was to model the associations between
underweight, stunting and wasting and to check whether multidimensionality of undernutrition can be
justified from a purely statistical point of view. 3742 children aged 0 to 59 months were enrolled in a
cross-sectional household survey (2004 Cameroon Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)). The
saturated loglinear model and the multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) showed no interaction and a
highly significant association between underweight and stunting (P=0), underweight and wasting (P=0);
but not between stunting and wasting (P=0.430). Cronbach's alpha coefficient between weight-for-age,
height-for-age and weight-for-height was 0.62 (95% CI 0.59, 0.64). Thus, the study of these associations
is not straightforward as it would appear in a first instance. The lack of three-factor interaction and the
value of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicate that undernutrition is indeed (statistically)
multidimensional. The three indicators are not statistically redundant; thus for the case of Cameroon
the choice of a particular anthropometric indicator should depend on the goal of the policy maker, as it
comes out of this study that no single indicator is to be used for all situations.