Anaemia and malnutrition in children aged 0–59 months on the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa: a cross-sectional, population-based study

A severe public health concern emerges from the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, where 80.2% of children aged 0–59 months exhibit anaemia, the highest prevalence recorded in the country to date. This cross-sectional study, conducted across three remote islands (Bubaque, Rubane, and Soga), reveals that while malnutrition rates are lower than on the mainland—with 21.8% stunting, 9.4% wasting, and 3.7% underweight—stunting is more prevalent in males and strongly associated with anaemia, rural residence, and age. Only 8.7% of children meet the Minimum Acceptable Diet standard. The research highlights the critical need for iron supplementation and further investigation into infectious diseases and maternal-child interactions as key drivers of malnutrition and anaemia in this vulnerable population.

Thorne, C. J., Roberts, L. M., Edwards, D. R., Haque, M. S., Cumbassa, A., & Last, A. R. (2013). Anaemia and malnutrition in children aged 0–59 months on the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa: a cross-sectional, population-based study. Paediatrics and International Child Health, 33(3), 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1179/2046905513y.0000000060