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Correlates of stunting and underweight among under five children of Sylhet district in north-eastern Bangladesh

Corresponding Author : Sumonkanti Das (sumonkanti-sta@sust.edu)

Authors : Tanjila Akter , Kakoli Rani Bhowmik , Sumonkanti Das , Mirza Nazmul Hasan

Keywords : Child Undernutrition, Generalized Estimating Equation, Ordinary Logistic Regression, Population Average Logistic Regression, Random Intercept Logistic Regression

Abstract :

Sylhet is the most populated district in the north-east part of Bangladesh where half of the under-five children are either stunted or underweight. The correlates of stunting and underweight have not yet been explored extensively for the children of Sylhet district. This study aims to explore the correlates of stunting and underweight in Sylhet by selecting an appropriate logistic model for each of the indicators. A total of 809 under-5 children were selected in the household survey via two-stage cluster sampling design. Height-for-age and weight-for-age z-scores were reasonable for 782 and 806 children respectively. For each indicator of stunting and underweight, an appropriate logistic model is determined through several model selection criteria for determining the corresponding correlates. Stunting and underweight were 45.7% and 32.9% in Sylhet district, respectively. Children’s age and recent morbidity, mothers’ education and current nutrition status, and household socio-economic status are found as main correlates of stunting and underweight. Interaction of mothers’ education and their nutrition status have significant effect on children stunting. Study findings recommend interventions focusing on mothers and households’ socio-economic improvement in the vulnerable sub-districts particularly in the sub-districts remote from Sylhet Metropolitan City.

Published on December 31st, 2019 in Volume 29, Issue 2, Physical Sciences