Malaria Morbidity and Nutritional Status in Children
Summary
Malaria remains a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in many low-resource settings, where undernutrition is also widespread. The bidirectional relationship between malaria and nutritional status is complex. Acute and chronic malnutrition can impair immune defences, heighten susceptibility to clinical malaria and reduce the efficacy of antimalarial therapies. Conversely, repeated or severe malaria infections contribute to weight loss, growth faltering, anaemia and broader developmental deficits. Key manifestations include stunting (chronic growth retardation) and wasting (acute weight loss), which both exacerbate malaria severity and prolong recovery. Micronutrient deficiencies—particularly of iron, vitamin A, zinc and riboflavin—can disrupt redox homeostasis, compromising erythropoiesis and immune cell function. Epidemiological studies point to age-specific peaks in parasitaemia and anaemia among children aged six months to five years, with environmental and socioeconomic factors mediating household risk. Integrated strategies that combine vector control, nutritional support and enhanced case management have been shown to reduce both malaria burden and malnutrition rates, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary interventions.
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Malaria Morbidity and Nutritional Status in Children publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in malaria morbidity and nutritional status in children across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Parasitaemia: the concentration of malaria parasites present in the bloodstream.
Stunting: chronic undernutrition resulting in low height-for-age compared to reference standards.
Wasting: acute undernutrition resulting in low weight-for-height relative to age-matched peers.
Micronutrient: an essential vitamin or mineral required in small amounts for growth, development and immune function.
Redox homeostasis: the balance between oxidative and antioxidative processes within cells.
References
- Modelling the interrelationships between potential risk factors and childhood Co-morbidity of Malaria, Anaemia, and stunting in children less than five years in Burundi. Heliyon (2024).
- Role of riboflavin deficiency in malaria pathophysiology. PLOS Pathogens (2024).
- Complex interactions between malaria and malnutrition: a systematic literature review. BMC Medicine (2018).
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