EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION AND CAREGIVER COUNSELING ON MALNOURISHED CHILDREN IN PARACHINAR

Abstract

Childhood malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in Pakistan, particularly in underserved areas such as District Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Poor caregiver knowledge and inadequate feeding practices contribute to persistent undernutrition among children under five years of age.

Objective:
To assess the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation combined with caregiver counseling in improving the nutritional status of malnourished children aged 6–59 months in District Kurram, Parachinar.

Methodology:
A pre- and post-intervention cross-sectional study was conducted at DHQ Hospital Parachinar including 385 malnourished children selected through purposive sampling. Anthropometric indicators including weight, height/length, and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) were measured according to WHO child growth standards. The intervention consisted impact of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF), and structured caregiver counseling on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, dietary diversity, hygiene, and feeding during illness. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results:
Significant improvements were observed after the intervention. Mean weight increased from 8.30 ± 1.8 kg to 9.05 ± 1.9 kg (p = 0.012), height from 72.1 ± 6.7 cm to 73.4 ± 6.6 cm (p = 0.018), and MUAC from 11.2 ± 0.8 cm to 11.9 ± 0.9 cm (p = 0.009). The proportion of children with severe malnutrition decreased from 34% to 21%, while caregiver nutrition knowledge improved significantly (p = 0.002).

Conclusion:
Nutritional supplementation combined with caregiver counseling significantly improved short-term nutritional outcomes among malnourished children. Integrating nutrition education with therapeutic feeding programs may enhance the effectiveness of child malnutrition interventions in resource-limited settings.