Background: Despite considerable progress in eliminating malnutrition, Bangladesh continues to experience a high prevalence of child malnutrition, particularly in climate-vulnerable coastal regions. This study aimed to investigate the current prevalence of child malnutrition and identify its associated risk factors across the coastal regions of Bangladesh.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three purposively selected coastal districts representing distinct coastal parts of Bangladesh. Data were collected from 469 randomly selected households using a three-stage cluster sampling approach, including anthropometric measurements of children aged 6–59 months and structured interviews with their mothers. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the risk factors of child malnutrition.
Results: The study revealed that more than half of the children (54.4%) were stunted, 1 in 4 (25.2%) were underweight and nearly 1 in 10 (9.4%) were wasted, with 61.6% experiencing at least one form of anthropometric failure. Multivariable logistic regression showed that children aged 24–35 months were 54% [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.22–0.98] and 48–59 months 60% (AOR =0.40; 95% CI: 0.18–0.88) less likely to be malnourished compared to those aged 6–11 months. Higher odds were observed among children from poor households (AOR =2.15; 95% CI: 1.07–4.30), food-insecure households (mild: AOR =2.13; severe: AOR =3.66), and those lacking basic drinking water (AOR =2.66) or sanitation (AOR =1.93) facilities. Children born to underweight mothers had 2.77 (AOR =2.77; 95% CI: 1.09–7.04) times higher odds of being malnourished compared to their normal counterparts.
Conclusions: Findings of the study highlight the persistent burden of child malnutrition in coastal Bangladesh, focusing on the significant influence of household poverty, food insecurity, inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access, and maternal undernutrition. Targeted and multisectoral interventions addressing these intersecting vulnerabilities are essential to improve child nutritional outcomes in climate-sensitive coastal settings.
