title: Undernutrition in Benin-an analysis based on graphical models.
abstract: Undernutrition is one of the most important health problems in developing countries. Examining its determinants implies the investigation of a complex association structure including a large number of potential influence variables and different types of influences. A recently developed statistical technique to cope with such situations are graphical chain models. In this paper, this approach is used to investigate the determinants of undernutrition in Benin (West Africa). Since this method also reveals indirect influences, interesting insight is gained into the association structure of all variables incorporated. The analysis identifies mother's education, socioeconomic status, and religion as three variables with particularly strong direct and indirect linkages to undernutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biometry and Medical Informatics, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 26, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Ronja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foraita
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klasen
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pigeot
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics; D002149:Energy Intake; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012015:Reference Standards; D012067:Religion; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors