title: Relationship between food aid and acute malnutrition following an earthquake.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between food aid and acute malnutrition among children under 5 years of age was assessed in northern Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Separate cross-sectional household-based surveys were performed in Mansehra and Muzaffarabad districts. Probability proportional to size (PPS) was used to select clusters in each district, and households were randomly selected within each cluster. Information collected included receipt of food aid, child health, level of household damage, water sources, and excreta disposal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children in households receiving food aid had a lower prevalence of acute malnutrition in Mansehra (adjusted OR, controlled for confounders, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.13 to 1.22) and Muzaffarabad (adjusted OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.44). Communities with higher levels of complete household destruction were more likely to receive food aid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children in households receiving food aid had a lower prevalence of acute malnutrition than those in households not receiving food aid, even after accounting for various confounding variables, although this difference was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: UNICEF, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: S M Moazzem
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Maggio
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012066:Relief Work