Acute Malnutrition and its Determinants of School Children in Rajshahi District of Bangladesh: A Statistical Analysis

Background: Malnutrition in school children is a global public health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. Acute malnutrition is linked to several physiological weaknesses, including immunological dysfunction, disturbance of the intestinal barrier, dysbiosis of the gut flora, and deficiencies in vital nutrients. This study sought to ascertain the incidence of “acute malnutrition (AM)” and its contributing factors among the Rajshahi district school children in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place between January and June 2019, assessing acute malnutrition in children based on mid-upper arm measurements. After modifying the impact of independent determinants of children’s acute malnutrition (AM), multiple binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify the related factors. Result: The prevalence of AM amongst school children was 24.0%, among them 4.8% and 19.2% were severe acute malnutrition and moderate acute malnutrition, respectively. School children AM was associated with being: (a) children aged 10–14 years (aOR = 6.194, 95% CI: 3.821–10.040; p < 0.01), (b) Mother’s nutritional status (normal weight) (aOR = 0.409, 95% CI: 0.205–0.814; p < 0.05), (c) Mother’s nutritional status (overweight and obese) (aOR = 0.387, 95% CI: 0.179–0.836; p < 0.05), and (d) Daily sufficient food intake (kcal) of children by age (aOR = 2.177, 95% CI: 1.280–3.705; p < 0.01). Conclusion: These school children had a significant frequency of AM. There were some modifiable factors connected to AM in school children. Acute malnutrition among school children in Bangladesh may be effectively alleviated by social mobilization and food security interventions in households.