Assessing the Impact of Nutritional Status on Psychomotor Development in Infants Aged 0-23 Months in the Gahombo Health District, Burundi

Michel  Baseka; Jonathan  Niyukuri; Alice  Ndayishimiye; Sedki  Az-Eddine; Vestine  Ntakarutimana

doi:10.6000/1929-4247.2025.14.03.5

Authors

Michel Baseka Doctoral School in Health Nutrition, University of Burundi, Burundi; Department of Food Science and Technology (STA), Faculty of Agronomy and Bioengineering (FABI), University of Burundi, B.P. 2940, Bujumbura, Food Science and Technology Research Center (CRSTA), Burundi and East African Nutritional Sciences Institute (EANSI), Burundi
Jonathan Niyukuri Department of Food Science and Technology (STA), Faculty of Agronomy and Bioengineering (FABI), University of Burundi, B.P. 2940, Bujumbura, Food Science and Technology Research Center (CRSTA), Burundi and East African Nutritional Sciences Institute (EANSI), Burundi
Alice Ndayishimiye East African Nutritional Sciences Institute (EANSI), Burundi and Faculty of Medicine, University of Burundi, Burundi
Sedki Az-Eddine Department of Biology, Semlalia Faculty of Science, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco
Vestine Ntakarutimana Center for Research in Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Burundi, Burundi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2025.14.03.5

Keywords:

Malnutrition, nutritional status, psychomotor development, children, 0–23 months, Gahombo

Abstract

This study aims to assess the influence of malnutrition on the psychomotor development of children aged 0–23 months in the Gahombo health district. The survey was conducted from 12 to 27 July 2024.

The results show disharmonious psychomotor development in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) when compared to their adequately nourished peers. The ability to hold the head without support, sit, crawl, walk independently, pronounce simple words, babble, and track familiar faces is significantly affected in malnourished children.

Only 9.7% of MAM and 2.7% of SAM children walked independently at 12 months of age, in contrast to 39.2% of adequately nourished children. Furthermore, the ability to pronounce "papa" and "maman" or to babble and follow a familiar face was much lower in malnourished children (p < 0.05). These delays were more pronounced in cases of severe malnutrition. Therefore, malnutrition has a profound influence on psychomotor development in children under two years of age. The study highlights the importance of early intervention and appropriate nutritional care in mitigating the impact of these disorders.

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