Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, where it adversely affects child health and development. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the importance of addressing malnutrition through community-based interventions. AIM: The primary objective of this research is to compare the frequency of malnutrition among children whose mothers consumed fortified food during pregnancy versus those who did not, thereby assessing the effectiveness of fortified food under the "Mamta" nutrition program. METHODOLOGY: A comparative cross-sectional study design was employed, involving 100 children aged six to nine months, divided into two groups: 50 children whose mothers consumed fortified foods (fortified group) and 50 whose mothers did not (non-fortified group). Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to mothers, capturing demographic information, dietary intake during pregnancy, and anthropometric measurements of the children, including weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). The prevalence of malnutrition was assessed using WHO growth standards, and statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York), including chi-square tests to compare malnutrition rates and multivariate logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors. RESULTS: The study revealed significant differences in nutritional outcomes between the two groups. In the fortified group, 64% of children had a MUAC in the 11-13 cm range, while only 22% of the non-fortified group fell within this range (p=0.003). Additionally, 50% of children in the fortified group weighed over 7 kg compared to 52% in the non-fortified group, indicating a slight advantage in weight but statistically significant (p=0.001). The prevalence of underweight was notably lower in the fortified group, with only 10% classified as underweight compared to 12% in the non-fortified group. Overall, the fortified group demonstrated better anthropometric measurements, with a higher percentage of children achieving healthier weight and MUAC measurements, confirming the positive impact of maternal fortified food intake on child nutrition. CONCLUSION: This research provides strong evidence that maternal consumption of fortified foods during pregnancy significantly enhances the nutritional status of children. The results underscore the importance of the "Mamta" nutrition program in breaking the cycle of malnutrition and improving early childhood development. However, the study was conducted at a single hospital, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to broader populations in Pakistan. A larger and more diverse sample would be necessary to account for potential regional differences in dietary practices, access to fortified foods, and socioeconomic disparities.