Maternal and Child Nutritional Status in South and Southeast Asia: A Comparative Analysis Across Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Timor-Leste

Objectives: This research aims to investigate the impact of maternal characteristics on the nutritional status of under-five children in South and Southeast Asian countries using nationally representative data. Setting: The study was conducted using nationally representative data collected from seven countries, namely, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Timor-Leste. The data was collected between the years 2016 and 2022. The study included 2,17,045 mother–child pairs. Results: The study reveals a significant association between maternal attributes and various markers of child development. It suggests that maternal age, height, weight, and BMI are closely linked to the height, weight, HAZ, WAZ, WHZ, and BAZ of children. Mothers in Maldives have the highest body weight, falling under the overweight category, while mothers in Timor-Leste have the lowest weight and BMI. This diversity in maternal characteristics emphasizes the complexity of the issue and its potential impact on their child’s development. It is worth noting that boys and girls in the Maldives and Cambodia have the highest height and weight, while the lowest child weight is found in Timor-Leste, and the lowest height is found in Pakistan. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that a child’s height and weight can be influenced by their mother’s age, height, weight, and BMI. The study also revealed that Timor-Leste is the most vulnerable country in terms of childhood malnutrition in the South and Southeast Asian region.