Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.8
2.1
Journals
Children
Special Issues
Malnutrition and Infectious Disease in Children: Epidemiology and Global Impacts
share announcement

Malnutrition and Infectious Disease in Children: Epidemiology and Global Impacts

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2025) | Viewed by 931

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Israt Jahan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health, Medical and Applied Science, Central Queensland University, Norman Gardens, Australia
Interests: malnutrition; cerebral palsy; epidemiology; disability; intervention; low- and mid-dle-income countries (LMICs)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a new Special Issue, titled “Malnutrition and Infectious Disease in Children: Epidemiology and Global Impacts”, in Children, a peer-reviewed scientific journal [impact factor: 2.0; Cite Score: 2.7].

Malnutrition and infectious diseases remain among the most pressing global health challenges affecting children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and recurrent infections create a vicious cycle that weakens immune function, increases the disease severity, and impairs children’s growth and development. Emerging evidence from both high-income and low-resource settings highlights the increased vulnerability of children with disabilities, further emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. While significant progress has been made through public health initiatives, disparities persist, necessitating innovative and sustainable solutions to break this cycle.

This Special Issue provides a platform for cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research on the epidemiology, prevention, and management of malnutrition and infectious diseases in children. We invite original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and qualitative or mixed-method studies that address surveillance data, risk factors, intervention strategies, and policy implications.

We particularly welcome studies that are at the intersection of nutrition, infectious disease burden, and child development, as well as research on novel therapeutic approaches, community-based interventions, and advancements in public health strategies.

We look forward to your contributions and insights to advance our knowledge and improve child health outcomes worldwide.

Dr. Israt Jahan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • malnutrition
  • infectious diseases
  • disability
  • global child health
  • undernutrition and immunity
  • micronutrient deficiency
  • intervention
  • policy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 1273 KB  
Article
Child Stunting and Temperature Anomalies: A Cross-Sectional Study in Burkina Faso and Kenya
by Tavis C. Mansfield, Molly E. Brown and Meredith L. Gore
Children 2025, 12(10), 1346; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12101346 - 7 Oct 2025
Viewed by 579
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Extreme temperatures linked to climate change threaten child health, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where malnutrition remains widespread. This study examines how exposure to hot and cold temperature anomalies influences child stunting in Burkina Faso and Kenya and evaluates how household infrastructure and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Extreme temperatures linked to climate change threaten child health, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where malnutrition remains widespread. This study examines how exposure to hot and cold temperature anomalies influences child stunting in Burkina Faso and Kenya and evaluates how household infrastructure and socio-demographic factors interact with climate stressors to shape outcomes. Methods: We combined nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (Burkina Faso 2021; Kenya 2022) with daily maximum and minimum temperature data from the Climate Hazards InfraRed Temperature with Stations (CHIRTS). The analytic sample included children aged 24–59 months. Temperature anomalies were calculated as standardized deviations from local historical averages. Multilevel logistic regression models assessed associations between stunting, climate anomalies, and household-level factors, including electricity, water, sanitation, wealth, and rural/urban residence. Results: Heat anomalies were linked to increased stunting risk in Kenya (β = 2.34, p < 0.001), while in Burkina Faso, higher maximum temperatures unexpectedly reduced stunting odds (β = 0.08, p < 0.05). Cold anomalies showed marginal positive associations with stunting in both countries. Infrastructure and socioeconomic factors varied by context: electricity access and urban residence were protective in Burkina Faso, while improved sanitation, household wealth, and child sex differences were significant in Kenya. Conclusions: Climate anomalies and household conditions jointly influence stunting among children aged 24–59 months, with effects varying by country. Cold anomalies were associated with higher odds of stunting in Burkina Faso (BF OR = 2.14) and Kenya (KE OR = 1.20), while heat anomalies reduced stunting in BF (OR = 0.08) but increased it in KE (OR = 2.34). Electricity access was protective in both countries (BF OR = 0.61; KE OR = 0.71), while improved water, sanitation, and wealth were significant only in KE. Older child age consistently reduced stunting risk, and urban residence was protective only in BF. These findings underscore that climate impacts on stunting are context-specific and highlight the need for policies integrating climate adaptation with investments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Malnutrition and Infectious Disease in Children: Epidemiology and Global Impacts)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-1
Back to TopTop