In summary, it is clear that frequent illness (high morbidity), poor hygiene, a lack of clean potable water supply, and care practices, particularly infant feeding practices, are significant contributors, with poor food consumption, to acute malnutrition in northern Kenya. Severe acute malnutrition is linked to more densely populated areas in these regions, and is more common among those who are on the margins (pastoralist drop-outs, female or grandmother-headed households, the destitute, and those dependent on petty trade).
A better appreciation of the underlying causal factors of malnutrition in northern Kenya, as in all places, is essential for planning appropriate interventions. When it comes to interpreting both the nutrition data and the possible causal factors, there are several interpretation issue that must be considered. These include seasonal factors, mortality and issues regarding indicators and reference baseline. This can be complex particularly since there is a lack of agreement and thus no standardization or clear guidance on some of these issues. For example there is little guidance on how to analyze malnutrition and mortality together. These issues are further discussed below.