Publication

Undernutrition as an underlying cause of child deaths associated with diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria and measles

Authored by:

Caulfield, L.E., de Onis, M., and Black, R.E.

Full Citation:

Caulfield, L.E., de Onis, M., and Black, R.E. 2004. Undernutrition as an underlying cause of child deaths associated with diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria and measles. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 80(1).

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Additional key concepts from this publication:

Vaccines are critical for malnourished and immunocompromised children.

Key Evidence: An analysis of the association between undernutrition and mortality in young children revealed that in 60% of deaths due to diarrhea, 52% of deaths due to pneumonia, 45% of deaths due to measles and 57% of deaths attributable to malaria, undernutrition was a contributing factor.

Vaccine-preventable diseases disproportionately affect people with poorer overall health.

Undernutrition is a significant risk factor for disease and death in young children, making vaccination especially critical for this population.