Factors influencing stunting among children in rural Tanzania: an agro-climatic zone perspective
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Date
2017-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
This paper analyzed stunting in children in
Tanzania and its linkages to agro-climatic conditions and related
factors, unraveling the complex interactions of determinants
of under-nutrition in two contrasting regions of
Tanzania. We used logistic regression models to establish relationships
between stunting and multiple variables belonging
to different domains. The prevalence of stunting and severe
stunting in children was 41% and 21% respectively, while
11% of women had a Body Mass Index of below 18.5.
Results also indicate that 17% of children and 16% of women
were anaemic. Regression analysis showed that major determinants
of child stunting in the semi-arid Dodoma region are
cultivated land size, gender and age of the child, duration of
breastfeeding, household size, use of iodized salt and the distance
to a water source. In sub-humid Morogoro, cultivated
land size, a child’s age, duration of breastfeeding, literacy
status of the mother and Body Mass Index of the mother
predict stunting. We discuss how these factors influence the
nutrition status of children in each agro-climatic region. The
pooled model provided strong evidence to link agro-climatic
zone characteristics to stunting among children. It is recommended
that nutrition interventions should be specific to agroclimatic
environments. Implementing agro-climatic sensitive
interventional actions may help to reduce undernutrition and
food insecurity in specific areas.
Description
Journal of Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and International Society for Plant Pathology 2017
Keywords
Nutritional status, Agro-climate, Rural, Stunting, Kitchen gardening, Anaemia