Objective: To analyze the prevalence of malnutrition and its affected factors of poor rural infants under 2 years old in Guangxi Province. METHODS; Applying a three stages stratified cluster sampling method, a total of 653 subjects were sampled from 4 rural poor counties. The Z score standards recommended by NCHS/WHO were used to evaluate the nutrition and health condition of infants. Non-conditional multifactor logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting nutritional status.
Results: The rates of low birth weight, growth retardation, under weight, emaciation and anemia of 653 infants under 2 years old were 8.7%, 39.7%, 42.1%,14.4% and 25.4% respectively. The non-conditional multifactor logistic regression model indicates that the age of infants, the caregivers and the time of their mothers working outside were the associated risk factors of growth retardation and under weight of the babies.
Conclusion: The rate of low birth weight in part of rural poor areas in Guangxi Province was obviously higher than the expecting target (i. e. lower than 5%) at the year 2010. The rates of growth retardation, under weight, emaciation and anemia were still high.