Factors associated with stunting status among under-5 years children

What is it about?

bjectives Chronic malnutrition has a detrimental impact on children’s health. Bangladesh has made considerable progress on children’s underweight and wasting health issues over the past two decades. However, the existing prevalence of stunting remains a significant concern for child health. This study investigates the extent of different determinants of stunting status among children under the age of 5 in Bangladesh by using the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data. Methods In response to the violation of the parametric test assumptions, a non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test has been carried out in bivariate analysis to test the equality of median stunting scores across different predictors. The robust quantile regression model is applied to examine the impact of various demographic, socio-cultural, and maternal health-related variables on children’s stunting status. Results Administrative division, place of residence, household head, wealth status, media access, mothers age at recent birth, mother’s education, bank account, height, multiple children, body mass index, antenatal care, and place of delivery shows significant impact on children’s stunting status. Children from the Dhaka division, mothers with higher education, and urban areas exhibit significantly lower levels of stunting. The analysis reveals that mothers with higher body mass index, receiving antenatal care from medically trained providers, and delivered at health-facilitated places, significantly reduce the likelihood of stunting status of their child. Conclusions Enhancing maternal status and prioritizing maternal well-being could play a crucial role in improving children’s nutritional outcomes. Policymakers may focus on the potential factors for designing effective strategies to reduce the existing stunting prevalence in Bangladesh. Keywords Kruskal-Wallis test Quantile regression Stunting Under-5 children

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