Socio-Demographic and Socio-Economic Factors Associated With Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6–24 Months Attending a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Geetanjali Tahilramani; Karuna Singh; Saroj Kar; Alka Mathur

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.89782

Socio-Demographic and Socio-Economic Factors Associated With Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6–24 Months Attending a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s)	Ms. Geetanjali Tahilramani, Prof. Dr. Karuna Singh, Dr. Saroj Kar, Dr. Alka Mathur
Country	India
Abstract	Background: The period from 6 to 23 months is a critical window for complementary feeding and child growth. Socio-economic circumstances may influence access to adequate food, care and health services. This study examined the burden of undernutrition and its socio-demographic and socio-economic correlates among children attending a tertiary-care IYCF service in Delhi. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional analysis included all 197 children eligible within a 6–24-month age window; observed ages were 6–23 months. Anthropometric measurements were interpreted using WHO Child Growth Standards. Underweight, stunting and wasting were defined as WAZ, HAZ and WHZ <−2 SD, respectively. Fourteen socio-demographic variables were examined using unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) and exploratory multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Underweight affected 73/197 children (37.1%), stunting 54/197 (27.4%) and wasting 51/197 (25.9%). Severe underweight, stunting and wasting affected 12.2%, 11.7% and 4.1%, respectively. Lower SES was associated with wasting in unadjusted analysis (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.21–5.34) and after adjustment (aOR 2.48, 95% CI 1.14–5.40). Illiterate/primary maternal education was associated with wasting after adjustment (aOR 3.19, 95% CI 1.07–9.45). Excluding six WHO-flagged records gave wasting aORs of 2.68 (1.20–5.98) for lower SES and 2.54 (0.83–7.73) for illiterate/primary maternal education. Conclusion: Undernutrition was common in this tertiary-care IYCF cohort. The lower-SES wasting association persisted in the flag-exclusion analysis; evidence for maternal education was less consistent. Hospital-based sampling, cross-sectional design and limited outcome events restrict interpretation.
Keywords	Child undernutrition; stunting; wasting; underweight; socio-economic status; maternal education; infant and young child feeding; Delhi; India
Field	Sociology > Health
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-10-16
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.89782

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Socio-Demographic and Socio-Economic Factors Associated With Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6–24 Months Attending a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-Sectional Study

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