Malnutrition improvement for infants under 18 months old of Dai minority in Luxi, China.

Background: Child malnutrition and thiamine deficiency remain a matter of public concern in Dai children under 5 years old in Southwest areas of China. The aim of the present study was to understand the status and correlates of malnutrition and thiamine deficiency in Dai children under 18 months old in Yunnan, China, and to explore an effective intervention for improving their nutritional status and decreasing the prevalence of malnutrition and thiamine deficiency in Dai children.

Methods: Well-trained investigators completed a baseline evaluation survey, including questionnaire survey by maternal interviews, child physical measurements, lab examination of thiamine, and group discussions in a cross-sectional study.