Sammanfattning
Background: Undernutrition continues to pose challenges to Uganda’s children, but there is
limited knowledge on its association with physical and intellectual development.
Objective: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the nutritional status and milestone
development of 6- to 8-month-old children and associated factors in two districts of southwestern
Uganda.
Design: Five hundred and twelve households with mother–infant (6–8 months) pairs were randomly
sampled. Data about background variables (e.g. household characteristics, poverty likelihood, and
child dietary diversity scores (CDDS)) were collected using questionnaires. Bayley Scales of Infant
and Toddler Development (BSID III) and Ages and Stages questionnaires (ASQ) were used to collect
data on child development. Anthropometric measures were used to determine z-scores for weight-
for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), weight-for-length (WLZ), head circumference (HCZ), and mid-upper
arm circumference. Chi-square tests, correlation coefficients, and linear regression analyses were
used to relate background variables, nutritional status indicators, and infant development.
Results: The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 12.1, 24.6, and 4.7%,
respectively. Household head education, gender, sanitation, household size, maternal age and
education, birth order, poverty likelihood, and CDDS were associated (p<0.05) with WAZ, LAZ, and
WLZ. Regression analysis showed that gender, sanitation, CDDS, and likelihood to be below the
poverty line were predictors (p<0.05) of undernutrition. BSID III indicated development delay of 1.3%
in cognitive and language, and 1.6% in motor development. The ASQ indicated delayed development
of 24, 9.1, 25.2, 12.2, and 15.1% in communication, fine motor, gross motor, problem solving, and
personal social ability, respectively. All nutritional status indicators except HCZ were positively and
significantly associated with development domains. WAZ was the main predictor for all development
domains.
Conclusion: Undernutrition among infants living in impoverished rural Uganda was associated with
household sanitation, poverty, and low dietary diversity. Development domains were positively and
significantly associated with nutritional status. Nutritional interventions might add value to
improvement of child growth and development.