The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies
BackgroundChildren living in refugee camps in South Asian countries suffer from undernutrition. However, the emerging prevalence of double burden of malnutrition could potentially cause a crisis in the healthcare of the refugee population. Double burden increases the risk for co-morbidities, poor fu...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1480319/full |
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| author | Pooja Panchal Mohd Usman Tajung Longkumer Reshma Susan Babu Mahalaqua Nazil Khatib Shariza Abdul Razak Kavitha Menon |
| author_facet | Pooja Panchal Mohd Usman Tajung Longkumer Reshma Susan Babu Mahalaqua Nazil Khatib Shariza Abdul Razak Kavitha Menon |
| author_sort | Pooja Panchal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundChildren living in refugee camps in South Asian countries suffer from undernutrition. However, the emerging prevalence of double burden of malnutrition could potentially cause a crisis in the healthcare of the refugee population. Double burden increases the risk for co-morbidities, poor functional health, and increased risk for premature death among these children. The study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis followed the standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines using CoCoPop mnemonic approach. We searched JSTOR, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases for studies on the prevalence of malnutrition in refugee children from 1984 to August 2024 with restricted English language. The screening of research articles was undertaken using COVIDENCE 2.0 software. The JBI checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the included articles. The meta analysis was carried out using MedCalc 22.018 software. The gray literature was manually searched from the reputed organizations focusing on refugee children and was narratively analyzed for malnutrition statistics. Furthermore, the corroboration of primary research articles and gray literature was conducted for comprehensive understanding.ResultsThe review included 10 full-text research articles, all with cross-sectional study design and 11 gray literatures. The 10 studies covered a total of 4,274 participants with 3,536 urban and 738 rural refugee children aged between 0 and 19 years [refugee children (n = 8) and refugee adolescents (n = 2)]. The sample size of the included studies varied between 58 and 1,087 and mostly from Bangladesh. The prevalence of stunting ranged from 3.9–75.4% in the included studies [pooled prevalence: 31.8% (95% CI: 18.6–46.6%)]; wasting between 0.3–24.3% [pooled prevalence:10.1% (95% CI: 4.6–17.3)]; underweight between 4.4–65% [pooled prevalence: 19.1% (95% CI: 10.8–29.2%)]; and overweight between 3 and 24% [pooled prevalence: 6.5% (95% CI: 2.6–12.1%)]. Time trend analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition showed a decreasing trend in underweight, an increasing trend for stunting and wasting, and overweight including a rising prevalence of dual burden of under-and overnutrition.DiscussionThe study indicates a high prevalence of undernutrition and a rising prevalence of overnutrition -the Asian paradox of the double burden of malnutrition in refugee children living in South Asia. The coexisting double burden of malnutrition among refugee children calls for comprehensive programs and policies for the prevention and management of the double burden of malnutrition. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-db860a19af8d47eab46663c194ef07292025-02-10T04:11:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-02-011110.3389/fnut.2024.14803191480319The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studiesPooja Panchal0Mohd Usman1Tajung Longkumer2Reshma Susan Babu3Mahalaqua Nazil Khatib4Shariza Abdul Razak5Kavitha Menon6Nutrition and Dietetics Program, Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences (SSCANS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, IndiaDepartment of Community Medicine, Symbiosis Medical College for Women, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, IndiaNutrition and Dietetics Program, Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences (SSCANS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, IndiaNutrition and Dietetics Program, Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences (SSCANS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, IndiaDatta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Wardha, IndiaDietetics Programme, School of Health Sciences, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, MalaysiaNutrition and Dietetics Program, Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences (SSCANS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, IndiaBackgroundChildren living in refugee camps in South Asian countries suffer from undernutrition. However, the emerging prevalence of double burden of malnutrition could potentially cause a crisis in the healthcare of the refugee population. Double burden increases the risk for co-morbidities, poor functional health, and increased risk for premature death among these children. The study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis followed the standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines using CoCoPop mnemonic approach. We searched JSTOR, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases for studies on the prevalence of malnutrition in refugee children from 1984 to August 2024 with restricted English language. The screening of research articles was undertaken using COVIDENCE 2.0 software. The JBI checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the included articles. The meta analysis was carried out using MedCalc 22.018 software. The gray literature was manually searched from the reputed organizations focusing on refugee children and was narratively analyzed for malnutrition statistics. Furthermore, the corroboration of primary research articles and gray literature was conducted for comprehensive understanding.ResultsThe review included 10 full-text research articles, all with cross-sectional study design and 11 gray literatures. The 10 studies covered a total of 4,274 participants with 3,536 urban and 738 rural refugee children aged between 0 and 19 years [refugee children (n = 8) and refugee adolescents (n = 2)]. The sample size of the included studies varied between 58 and 1,087 and mostly from Bangladesh. The prevalence of stunting ranged from 3.9–75.4% in the included studies [pooled prevalence: 31.8% (95% CI: 18.6–46.6%)]; wasting between 0.3–24.3% [pooled prevalence:10.1% (95% CI: 4.6–17.3)]; underweight between 4.4–65% [pooled prevalence: 19.1% (95% CI: 10.8–29.2%)]; and overweight between 3 and 24% [pooled prevalence: 6.5% (95% CI: 2.6–12.1%)]. Time trend analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition showed a decreasing trend in underweight, an increasing trend for stunting and wasting, and overweight including a rising prevalence of dual burden of under-and overnutrition.DiscussionThe study indicates a high prevalence of undernutrition and a rising prevalence of overnutrition -the Asian paradox of the double burden of malnutrition in refugee children living in South Asia. The coexisting double burden of malnutrition among refugee children calls for comprehensive programs and policies for the prevention and management of the double burden of malnutrition.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1480319/fullrefugee childrenSouth Asiamalnutritionundernutritionobesityoverweight |
| spellingShingle | Pooja Panchal Mohd Usman Tajung Longkumer Reshma Susan Babu Mahalaqua Nazil Khatib Shariza Abdul Razak Kavitha Menon The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies Frontiers in Nutrition refugee children South Asia malnutrition undernutrition obesity overweight |
| title | The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies |
| title_full | The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies |
| title_fullStr | The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies |
| title_short | The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia – a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies |
| title_sort | hidden crisis double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in south asia a systematic review and meta analysis from observational studies |
| topic | refugee children South Asia malnutrition undernutrition obesity overweight |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1480319/full |
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