Relationship between food aid and acute malnutrition following an earthquake

Abstract

Background. The relationship between food aid and acute malnutrition among children under 5 years of age was assessed in northern Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake. Methods. Separate cross-sectional household-based surveys were performed in Mansehra and Muzaffarabad districts. Probability proportional to size (PPS) was used to select clusters in each district, and households were randomly selected within each cluster. Information collected included receipt of food aid, child health, level of household damage, water sources, and excreta disposal. Results. Children in households receiving food aid had a lower prevalence of acute malnutrition in Mansehra (adjusted OR, controlled for confounders, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.13 to 1.22) and Muzaffarabad (adjusted OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.44). Communities with higher levels of complete household destruction were more likely to receive food aid. Conclusions. Children in households receiving food aid had a lower prevalence of acute malnutrition than those in households not receiving food aid, even after accounting for various confounding variables, although this difference was not statistically significant. © 2009, The United Nations University.