Food price perception, food and beverage marketing and the nutritional status of children 6–24 months in Obunga slums, Kisumu Kenya: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a significant problem in Africa. In Kenya, 26% of under-fives are stunted; slums are the hardest hit. Obunga slum has the highest prevalence at 40%. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was adopted; simple random sampling techniques were used to identify 189 eligible households in the Obunga slum with children between 6–24 months. An interviewer-administered questionnaire collected data on food price perceptions and food and beverage marketing. An anthropometric data collection form gathered information on the children’s height, weight and age. Scores for stunting, wasting and underweight were generated based on WHO Z-Score cut-off points. Binary logistic regression identified the relationship between food price perceptions, food and beverage marketing and the nutritional status of children between 6–24 months in Obunga slums. RESULTS: Prevalence of wasting was 3.2%, stunting was 27.0%, underweight was at 7.4%, while overweight was at 13%. Food price perceptions: An increase in fruits prices was significantly associated with wasting (Adjusted O.R. = 10. 82, C.I. = 1.10—106.77, P < 0.05) and underweight (Adjusted O.R. = 5.44, C.I. = 1.35—21.61, P < 0.05). Food & Beverage Marketing: Feeding children on commercially produced complementary food products and commercially produced food was significantly associated with wasting at an (Adjusted O.R. = 7.82, C.I. = 1.29—47.46, p < 0.05, and adjusted O.R. = 5.96, C.I. = 1.06—33.60, p < 0.05) respectively. Stunting was significantly associated with listening/reading or watching advertisements on commercial food products (Crude O.R. = 0.49, C.I. = 0.24—0.998, p < 0.05.). Watching food-related adverts on television (Adjusted O.R. = 0.38 C.I. = 0.146- 0.10) and watching marketing on commercial foods (Adjusted O.R. = 0.21, C.I. = 0.07—0.61) and watching television (Adjusted O.R. = 9.30, C.I. = 2.31—37.40). While watching food-related adverts on television was associated with being underweight (Adjusted O.R. = 18.68 and at C.I. = 1.22—286.89). CONCLUSION: The price perceptions of fruits, feeding children commercially produced food products and complementary foods, and Watching food-related adverts on television; had an impact on the nutritional status of children. Thus, a longitudinal study would be needed to understand the long-term effect of food prices and food and beverage marketing on nutritional status. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40795-023-00772-3.