1. TRENDS IN MALNUTRITION AND BURDEN OF HIV INFECTION AMONG UNDERFIVE CHILDREN
IN TANZANIA
Background
Malnutrition continues to play a main role in more than one-third of all child deaths worldwide (1). Since
underlnourished children are particularly susceptible to infections, this blend forms a vicious cycle in
which each state exacerbates the other(2). Malnutrition mainly consists of stunting, wasting, and
deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals which may also be referred to as undernutrition(3).
Malnourished children have increased risk of dying from infectious diseases, and it is estimated that
malnutrition consisting mainly of undernutrition, is the underlying cause of 45% of global deaths in
children below five(4). Malnutrition increases susceptibility to infections while infections worsen
malnutrition by diminishing appetite, stirring up catabolism, and increasing demand for nutrients (4). The
increased susceptibility to infections may in part be caused by impairment of immune function by
malnutrition (5). Lack of optimal breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding, in concert with
such illnesses as pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS, often exacerbated by helminthes, are
major causes of undernutrition particularly in resource limited settings.
Tanzania is one of the countries affected by double burdens of infectious diseases and undernutrition
among children.
Therefore, the objectives of this study are;
(I) to examine the trends in the rates of malnutrition and burden of infectious diseases from
different regions of Tanzania
(II) to examine common infectious diseases associated with malnutrition in different regions of
Tanzania
Methods

2. References
1. Page A-L, de Rekeneire N, Sayadi S, Aberrane S, Janssens A-C, Rieux C, et al. Infections in children
admitted with complicated severe acute malnutrition in Niger. PloS one. Public Library of
Science; 2013 Jan;8(7):e68699.
2. Schaible UE, Kaufmann SHE. Malnutrition and infection: complex mechanisms and global
impacts. PLoS medicine. Public Library of Science; 2007 May 1;4(5):e115.
3. Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, de Onis M, Ezzati M, et al. Maternal and child
undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet. 2008 Jan
19;371(9608):243–60.
4. Rytter MJH, Kolte L, Briend A, Friis H, Christensen VB. The immune system in children with
malnutrition-a systematic review. PloS one. 2014 Jan;9(8):e105017.
5. Waterlow JC. Protein Energy malnutrition. 1992. 2nd ed. London: Hodder&Stouton.