Profiling household double and triple burden of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: prevalence and influencing household factors

OBJECTIVE: Undernutrition and anaemia (the commonest micronutrient deficiency), continue to remain prevalent and persistent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) alongside a rising prevalence of overweight and obesity. However, there has been little research on the co-existence of all three conditions in the same household in recent years. The current study examines the co-existence and correlates of the different conditions of household burden of malnutrition in the same household across SSA. SETTING: The study involved twenty-three countries across SSA who conducted Demographic and Health Surveys between 2008 and 2017. PARTICIPANTS: The analytical sample includes 145 020 households with valid data on the nutritional status of women and children pairs (i.e. women of reproductive age; 15–49 years and children under 5 years). DESIGN: Logistic regression analyses were used to determine household correlates of household burden of malnutrition. RESULTS: Anaemia was the most common form of household burden of malnutrition, affecting about seven out of ten households. Double and triple burden of malnutrition, though less common, was also found to be present in 8 and 5 % of the households, respectively. The age of the household head, location of the household, access to improved toilet facilities and household wealth status were found to be associated with various conditions of household burden of malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the current study reveal that both double and triple burden of malnutrition is of public health concern in SSA, thus nutrition and health interventions in SSA must not be skewed towards addressing undernutrition only but also address overweight/obesity and anaemia.