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.