Objective: To determine the patterns of maternal nutrition status by using mid upper arm circumference(MUAC) and to examine the association of maternal nutritional status with the nutritional status ofmalnourished children under two years of age.Methods: Descriptive study conducted at the Department of Pediatric Medicine of the Children’s Hospital,Lahore from January 2017 to March 2018. A total of 227 mother accompanying their children admitted fornutritional rehabilitation were included. Demographics of participants along with MUAC of every motherwas taken. Data analysis was done by SPSS 22.Results: Mean maternal age was 28.29±5.30 years and mean age of children was 9.22 ± 6.05 months.Mean maternal MUAC was 25.53±3.63 cm. Normal nutrition was present in only 70 (31%), 35 (15.4%) hadmoderate to severe under nutrition and 68 (30%) were overweight and 17 (7.5%) were obese. Maternalilliteracy was common 150 (66%) and 203 (89%) belong to poor social class. Majority 150 (75%) childrenhad -3SD WHZ score. Only 42 (18.5%) children were exclusively breast fed. Maternal malnutrition wassignificantly associated with severity of child’s undernutrition (p=0.045) and low rates of exclusive breastfeeding practices (p=0.049).Conclusion: Malnutrition, in the form of both under nutrition and obesity is prevalent in mothers ofmalnourished children belonging to lower social class. Maternal illiteracy and low income are the majorcontributor in maternal malnutrition which in turn has an impact on child nutrition and breast feedingpractices.
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