• Energy Research

In Burkina Faso, one in every four children under 5 years is stunted. Climate change will exacerbate childhood stunting. Strengthening the health system, particularly the quality of nutrition care at primary health facilities, can minimise the adverse climate effect on stunting. Thus, we examined the quality of nutritional status assessment (QoNA) during curative childcare services in primary health facilities in rural Burkina Faso and its relationship with rainfall-induced childhood stunting.We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using anthropometric, rainfall, and clinical observation data.Our dependent variable was the height-for-age z-score (HAZ) of children under 2 years. Our focal climatic measure was mean rainfall deviation (MRD), calculated as the mean of the difference between 30-year monthly household-level rainfall means and the corresponding months for each child from conception to data collection. QoNA was based on the weight, height, general paleness and oedema assessment. We used a mixed-effect multilevel model and analysed heterogeneity by sex and socio-economic status.Among 5027 young (3-23 months) children (mean age 12 ± 6 months), 21% were stunted (HAZ ≤ -2). The mean MRD was 11 ± 4 mm, and the mean QoNA was 2.86 ± 0.99. The proportion of children in low, medium, and high QoNA areas was 10%, 54%, and 36%, respectively. HAZ showed a negative correlation with MRD. Higher QoNA lowered the negative effect of MRD on HAZ (β = 0.017, P = 0.003, confidence interval = [0.006, 0.029]). Males and children from poor households benefited less from the moderating effect of QoNA.Improving the quality of nutrition assessments can supplement existing efforts to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on children's nutritional well-being.

In Burkina Faso, one in every four children under 5 years is stunted. Climate change will exacerbate childhood stunting. Strengthening the health system, particularly the quality of nutrition care at primary health facilities, can minimise the adverse climate effect on stunting. Thus, we examined the quality of nutritional status assessment (QoNA) during curative childcare services in primary health facilities in rural Burkina Faso and its relationship with rainfall-induced childhood stunting.We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using anthropometric, rainfall, and clinical observation data.Our dependent variable was the height-for-age z-score (HAZ) of children under 2 years. Our focal climatic measure was mean rainfall deviation (MRD), calculated as the mean of the difference between 30-year monthly household-level rainfall means and the corresponding months for each child from conception to data collection. QoNA was based on the weight, height, general paleness and oedema assessment. We used a mixed-effect multilevel model and analysed heterogeneity by sex and socio-economic status.Among 5027 young (3-23 months) children (mean age 12 ± 6 months), 21% were stunted (HAZ ≤ -2). The mean MRD was 11 ± 4 mm, and the mean QoNA was 2.86 ± 0.99. The proportion of children in low, medium, and high QoNA areas was 10%, 54%, and 36%, respectively. HAZ showed a negative correlation with MRD. Higher QoNA lowered the negative effect of MRD on HAZ (β = 0.017, P = 0.003, confidence interval = [0.006, 0.029]). Males and children from poor households benefited less from the moderating effect of QoNA.Improving the quality of nutrition assessments can supplement existing efforts to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on children's nutritional well-being.

AbstractClimate change strongly affects the health of sub-Saharan African populations. Effective adaptation strategies are required in order to enhance their limited adaptive capacities. The DFG-funded Research Unit (RU) “Climate change and health in sub-Saharan Africa” unites nine research institutions from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Germany, and Switzerland that will design, implement, and evaluate four different adaptation projects in these two African countries from 2020 until 2022.First, the effectiveness of an agro-biodiversification and nutrition program will be established for the reduction of child undernutrition of climate-sensitive nutrients in rural Burkina Faso and Kenya. Two respective cluster-randomized controlled trials (cRCT) will be conducted, each consisting of 2 × 600 children. Second, another cRCT will be conducted among 2 × 300 households in rural Burkina Faso to investigate how sunlight-reflecting cool-roof coatings affect human health outcomes, including cardiovascular and heat-related outcomes. Further outcomes comprise indoor temperature, carbon footprint, and productivity. Third, an index-based weather insurance (IBWI) will be introduced in rural Burkina Faso. The effects of IBWI on childhood nutritional status, dietary behavior, and healthcare seeking will be determined in 2 × 20 villages. Fourth, microbial larviciding has been evaluated as a promising environmental control for malaria vectors in Burkina Faso. Here, the interactions between climatic factors and the effectiveness of the intervention will be tested using spatiotemporal models.

AbstractClimate change strongly affects the health of sub-Saharan African populations. Effective adaptation strategies are required in order to enhance their limited adaptive capacities. The DFG-funded Research Unit (RU) “Climate change and health in sub-Saharan Africa” unites nine research institutions from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Germany, and Switzerland that will design, implement, and evaluate four different adaptation projects in these two African countries from 2020 until 2022.First, the effectiveness of an agro-biodiversification and nutrition program will be established for the reduction of child undernutrition of climate-sensitive nutrients in rural Burkina Faso and Kenya. Two respective cluster-randomized controlled trials (cRCT) will be conducted, each consisting of 2 × 600 children. Second, another cRCT will be conducted among 2 × 300 households in rural Burkina Faso to investigate how sunlight-reflecting cool-roof coatings affect human health outcomes, including cardiovascular and heat-related outcomes. Further outcomes comprise indoor temperature, carbon footprint, and productivity. Third, an index-based weather insurance (IBWI) will be introduced in rural Burkina Faso. The effects of IBWI on childhood nutritional status, dietary behavior, and healthcare seeking will be determined in 2 × 20 villages. Fourth, microbial larviciding has been evaluated as a promising environmental control for malaria vectors in Burkina Faso. Here, the interactions between climatic factors and the effectiveness of the intervention will be tested using spatiotemporal models.

Abstract Climate change is projected to induce extreme and irregular rainfall patterns in the West African Sahel region, affecting household food security and income. Children are among the worst affected population groups. Previous studies focusing on rainfall irregularities in specified periods have revealed how child health and nutritional status are impacted, especially in rural settings. However, the aggregated effect of rainfall over a lifetime on chronic child undernutrition remains poorly understood. We conducted a multilevel regression using a 2017 household survey from rural Burkina Faso containing 12 919 under-five-year-old children and their corresponding household rainfall data. The rainfall data originated from the Climate Hazards Infrared Precipitation with Stations monthly dataset with a native resolution of 4.8 km (0.05°). We show that an increase in rainfall below 75 mm monthly average tends to produce poor nutritional outcomes (regression coefficient = −0.11***; 95% CI = −0.13, −0.10; p < 0.001) in rural Burkina Faso children. We found a consistent negative relationship between different sex and household wealth groups, but not age groups. Vulnerable younger children were more affected by the adverse effects of increased rainfall, while older children seemed to handle it better. Our methodological approach tracing the impact of rainfall over children’s lifetimes makes a meaningful contribution to the portfolio of tools for studying the complex relationship between climate change and health outcomes. Our work confirms that rainfall is a risk factor for chronic child undernutrition, highlighting the need for adaptation strategies that boost household and community resilience to counteract the harmful impacts of climate change on child nutritional status.

Abstract Climate change is projected to induce extreme and irregular rainfall patterns in the West African Sahel region, affecting household food security and income. Children are among the worst affected population groups. Previous studies focusing on rainfall irregularities in specified periods have revealed how child health and nutritional status are impacted, especially in rural settings. However, the aggregated effect of rainfall over a lifetime on chronic child undernutrition remains poorly understood. We conducted a multilevel regression using a 2017 household survey from rural Burkina Faso containing 12 919 under-five-year-old children and their corresponding household rainfall data. The rainfall data originated from the Climate Hazards Infrared Precipitation with Stations monthly dataset with a native resolution of 4.8 km (0.05°). We show that an increase in rainfall below 75 mm monthly average tends to produce poor nutritional outcomes (regression coefficient = −0.11***; 95% CI = −0.13, −0.10; p < 0.001) in rural Burkina Faso children. We found a consistent negative relationship between different sex and household wealth groups, but not age groups. Vulnerable younger children were more affected by the adverse effects of increased rainfall, while older children seemed to handle it better. Our methodological approach tracing the impact of rainfall over children’s lifetimes makes a meaningful contribution to the portfolio of tools for studying the complex relationship between climate change and health outcomes. Our work confirms that rainfall is a risk factor for chronic child undernutrition, highlighting the need for adaptation strategies that boost household and community resilience to counteract the harmful impacts of climate change on child nutritional status.