Child Malnutrition, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Public Health, Democratic Republic of Congo

Determinants of Malnutrition in Children Aged 0-59 Months in Democratic Republic of Congo. Structural Equation Modeling approach.

Malnutrition is a major health issue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially among children under five. Despite many efforts, the country still faces high rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight children. This research project seeks to understand what really causes these problems by focusing on children aged 0–59 months. Using data from the 2017–2018 UNICEF MICS survey, I will apply Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to explore how different factors, like poverty, education, feeding habits, and access to healthcare, interact and affect child nutrition.
The study looks at three main areas: family and environmental conditions (like income and climate), feeding practices (such as breastfeeding and meal frequency), and child-specific traits (like age, illness history, and vaccination status). SEM is particularly useful because it can show not just direct impacts, but also how one factor can influence another before affecting the child’s nutritional status.
By identifying which factors matter most, this research aims to support better decision making for public health and nutrition programs in the DRC. The ultimate goal is to help build more effective, targeted strategies to fight malnutrition and improve the lives of young children across the country.