The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels

Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between maternal age and nutritional status, and test associations between maternal nutritional status and child mortality with a focus on maternal obesity. Design: Secondary analysis of data from nationally representative cross-sectional sampl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene, Raphaël Muanza Nzuzi, Severin Mabanza Matondo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Public Health Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002647/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832590088453750784
author Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene
Raphaël Muanza Nzuzi
Severin Mabanza Matondo
author_facet Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene
Raphaël Muanza Nzuzi
Severin Mabanza Matondo
author_sort Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between maternal age and nutritional status, and test associations between maternal nutritional status and child mortality with a focus on maternal obesity. Design: Secondary analysis of data from nationally representative cross-sectional sample of women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and their children under 5 years. The outcome variable for maternal nutritional status was BMI, classified into underweight (BMI < 18·50 kg/m2), normal weight (18·50–24·99 kg/m2), overweight (25·0–29·9 kg/m2) and obesity (>=30·0 kg/m2). Child mortality was captured with five binary variables measuring the risk of dying in specific age intervals (neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, childhood and under-five mortality). Setting: The most recent Demographic and Health Surveys from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Participants: The final samples consisted of 7892 women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and 19 003 children aged 0–59 months. Results: The prevalence of obesity was estimated at 3·4 %; it increased with maternal age. Furthermore, obesity unevenly affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa, South Kivu, North Kivu and Maniema were most affected. Finally, maternal obesity showed mixed effects on child mortality. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity is still low; however, provinces are unevenly affected. Therefore, interventions and programmes to improve nutrition should incorporate geographical disparities to tackle adverse child outcomes associated with maternal obesity, to limit negative consequences of maternal obesity, including non-communicable diseases which might be a strong impediment to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 3.
format Article
id doaj-art-eef794ca446f43d3a2869bcd67f2798b
institution Kabale University
issn 1368-9800
1475-2727
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Public Health Nutrition
spelling doaj-art-eef794ca446f43d3a2869bcd67f2798b2025-01-24T02:41:18ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980024002647The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levelsZacharie Tsala Dimbuene0Raphaël Muanza Nzuzi1Severin Mabanza Matondo2School of Population and Development Studies, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoFaculty of Economics and Management, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoSchool of Population and Development Studies, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between maternal age and nutritional status, and test associations between maternal nutritional status and child mortality with a focus on maternal obesity. Design: Secondary analysis of data from nationally representative cross-sectional sample of women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and their children under 5 years. The outcome variable for maternal nutritional status was BMI, classified into underweight (BMI < 18·50 kg/m2), normal weight (18·50–24·99 kg/m2), overweight (25·0–29·9 kg/m2) and obesity (>=30·0 kg/m2). Child mortality was captured with five binary variables measuring the risk of dying in specific age intervals (neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, childhood and under-five mortality). Setting: The most recent Demographic and Health Surveys from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Participants: The final samples consisted of 7892 women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and 19 003 children aged 0–59 months. Results: The prevalence of obesity was estimated at 3·4 %; it increased with maternal age. Furthermore, obesity unevenly affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa, South Kivu, North Kivu and Maniema were most affected. Finally, maternal obesity showed mixed effects on child mortality. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity is still low; however, provinces are unevenly affected. Therefore, interventions and programmes to improve nutrition should incorporate geographical disparities to tackle adverse child outcomes associated with maternal obesity, to limit negative consequences of maternal obesity, including non-communicable diseases which might be a strong impediment to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 3. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002647/type/journal_articleMaternal obesityChild healthMortalityDemocratic Republic of the Congo
spellingShingle Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene
Raphaël Muanza Nzuzi
Severin Mabanza Matondo
The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
Public Health Nutrition
Maternal obesity
Child health
Mortality
Democratic Republic of the Congo
title The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
title_full The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
title_fullStr The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
title_full_unstemmed The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
title_short The relationship between maternal age, obesity and child mortality: a cross-sectional study using 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo at national, and sub-national levels
title_sort relationship between maternal age obesity and child mortality a cross sectional study using 2013 2014 demographic and health survey in democratic republic of the congo at national and sub national levels
topic Maternal obesity
Child health
Mortality
Democratic Republic of the Congo
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002647/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT zacharietsaladimbuene therelationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels
AT raphaelmuanzanzuzi therelationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels
AT severinmabanzamatondo therelationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels
AT zacharietsaladimbuene relationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels
AT raphaelmuanzanzuzi relationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels
AT severinmabanzamatondo relationshipbetweenmaternalageobesityandchildmortalityacrosssectionalstudyusing20132014demographicandhealthsurveyindemocraticrepublicofthecongoatnationalandsubnationallevels