Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste
Background: Undernutrition, including stunting, is the cause of almost 45% of all deaths among children under the age of five. It not only affects child growth but also has a long-term negative influence on cognitive and physical abilities. Timor-Leste has the highest prevalence of child stunting in...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ubiquity Press
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Annals of Global Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4199 |
| _version_ | 1797656042878795776 |
|---|---|
| author | Kanae Nomura Aliza K. C. Bhandari Emilie Louise Akiko Matsumoto-Takahashi Osamu Takahashi |
| author_facet | Kanae Nomura Aliza K. C. Bhandari Emilie Louise Akiko Matsumoto-Takahashi Osamu Takahashi |
| author_sort | Kanae Nomura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Undernutrition, including stunting, is the cause of almost 45% of all deaths among children under the age of five. It not only affects child growth but also has a long-term negative influence on cognitive and physical abilities. Timor-Leste has the highest prevalence of child stunting in Southeast Asia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of stunting and factors associated with it. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using the Demographic and Health Survey of 2016 for Timor-Leste. The prevalence of stunting among children under five years of age was examined, and bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with stunting. Results: Among 4,581 children under five years of age, growth in nearly 40% was stunted. The majority of the mothers with stunted children were of age 20–30 years with about 33% having their first baby at ≤19 years of age. Compared to women of <145 cm of height, those of ≥145 cm height had lower likelihood of having a stunted child (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: [0.48–0.80], p < 0.001). It was also interesting to note that the risk of stunting was lower among female children than male children [OR: 0.75, 95% CI: (0.64–0.88), p < 0.001] in our adjusted model. Similarly, other factors such as wealth index, postnatal care visits, currently breastfeeding, age of the child, and size of the child at birth were also associated with stunting. Conclusion: The present findings indicate that child stunting in Timor-Leste is mainly associated with maternal and child sociodemographic status. Hence, it is crucial to identify the quality of services provided by health facilities, the involvement of health workers and volunteers, and the intention of mothers to use the health services in Timor-Leste. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:23:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55a44acaa31844c48f114bc71ea01d4b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-9996 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:23:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-55a44acaa31844c48f114bc71ea01d4b2023-10-19T08:05:52ZengUbiquity PressAnnals of Global Health2214-99962023-09-01891636310.5334/aogh.41994199Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-LesteKanae Nomura0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7488-2513Aliza K. C. Bhandari1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4830-6255Emilie Louise Akiko Matsumoto-Takahashi2https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3659-9421Osamu Takahashi3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6454-3990Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, 3-6-2-5F Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo, 104-0045Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, 3-6-2-5F Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo, 104-0045; Department of Health Policy, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535; Division of Prevention, National Cancer Center, Institute for Cancer Control, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, 3-6-2-5F Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo, 104-0045Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, 3-6-2-5F Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo, 104-0045Background: Undernutrition, including stunting, is the cause of almost 45% of all deaths among children under the age of five. It not only affects child growth but also has a long-term negative influence on cognitive and physical abilities. Timor-Leste has the highest prevalence of child stunting in Southeast Asia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of stunting and factors associated with it. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using the Demographic and Health Survey of 2016 for Timor-Leste. The prevalence of stunting among children under five years of age was examined, and bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with stunting. Results: Among 4,581 children under five years of age, growth in nearly 40% was stunted. The majority of the mothers with stunted children were of age 20–30 years with about 33% having their first baby at ≤19 years of age. Compared to women of <145 cm of height, those of ≥145 cm height had lower likelihood of having a stunted child (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: [0.48–0.80], p < 0.001). It was also interesting to note that the risk of stunting was lower among female children than male children [OR: 0.75, 95% CI: (0.64–0.88), p < 0.001] in our adjusted model. Similarly, other factors such as wealth index, postnatal care visits, currently breastfeeding, age of the child, and size of the child at birth were also associated with stunting. Conclusion: The present findings indicate that child stunting in Timor-Leste is mainly associated with maternal and child sociodemographic status. Hence, it is crucial to identify the quality of services provided by health facilities, the involvement of health workers and volunteers, and the intention of mothers to use the health services in Timor-Leste.https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4199stuntingmalnutritionmaternal and child healthtimor-lestechildren under five |
| spellingShingle | Kanae Nomura Aliza K. C. Bhandari Emilie Louise Akiko Matsumoto-Takahashi Osamu Takahashi Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste Annals of Global Health stunting malnutrition maternal and child health timor-leste children under five |
| title | Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste |
| title_full | Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste |
| title_fullStr | Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste |
| title_short | Risk Factors Associated with Stunting among Children Under Five in Timor-Leste |
| title_sort | risk factors associated with stunting among children under five in timor leste |
| topic | stunting malnutrition maternal and child health timor-leste children under five |
| url | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4199 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kanaenomura riskfactorsassociatedwithstuntingamongchildrenunderfiveintimorleste AT alizakcbhandari riskfactorsassociatedwithstuntingamongchildrenunderfiveintimorleste AT emilielouiseakikomatsumototakahashi riskfactorsassociatedwithstuntingamongchildrenunderfiveintimorleste AT osamutakahashi riskfactorsassociatedwithstuntingamongchildrenunderfiveintimorleste |