Prevalence and determinants of double burden of malnutrition in Bangladesh: evidence from a nationwide cross-sectional survey

Globally, malnutrition in mother–child pairs is steadily diminishing. However, the coexistence of different forms of double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is rising worldwide, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the coexistence of different forms of DBM and their associated factors in the same household level for Bangladesh. The study utilized the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2014 dataset. Chi-square test of association was conducted to identify the significant factors for various forms of DBM. For the measurement of adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, multivariate logistic regression (MLR) analysis was performed. In this study, the overall prevalence of DBM was 5.8% as several sociodemographic and economic factors correlate and contribute to this burden. Results of MLR analyses showed that potential factors with increasing DBM were: poor wealth stratum, use of unhygienic toilet, mother's age in years, child delivery procedure, child's birth order, and father’s education. The prevalence of DBM is still high in Bangladesh, based on different associated sociodemographic factors. Public health stakeholders in Bangladesh should address these factors and implement appropriate interventions with regard to minimizing the DBM.