TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and correlates of stunting among primary school children in rural areas of southern Pakistan
AU - Khuwaja, Salma
AU - Selwyn, Beatrice J.
AU - Shah, Syed M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We conducted a survey in 64 villages of rural Sindh, in southern Pakistan, as part of the School Nutrition Program funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Development and the World Bank. Sindh is one of the four provinces of Pakistan with a population of 25 million, representing 23 per cent of the country’s total population. The province is divided into 18 administrative districts. We conducted the study in four districts, i.e., Thatta, Badin, Mirpur Khas, and Tharparkar, which were districts participating in the School Nutrition Program. The climate of the study area is hot and humid. Both arid and irrigated areas are found. In arid areas, the land is dry, with no natural sources of water. In these areas, people generally work in industries and service-orientated jobs. In irrigated areas, farming is the main occupation. Most farmers work for landlords who own the land. The farmers receive a part of the crops and some cash as remuneration for their work.
Funding Information:
This study was made possible with financial help from Norwegian Agency for International Development as part of a School-based Nutrition Program (SNP). We also thank Kauser S. Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan for her support and members of Parents & Teachers Association and members of Health and Education Department Government of Sindh for their help and co-operation to implement the survey.
PY - 2005/4
Y1 - 2005/4
N2 - Protein-energy malnutrition is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The purpose of the present study was to measure the prevalence of stunting and its correlates among school children aged 6-12 years in the rural areas of southern Pakistan. We selected 1915 children aged 6-12 years enrolled in 32 primary schools in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Trained community health workers conducted child height and weight measurements and collected information from the parents. The Z-scores for the distribution of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height relative to those of National Center for Health Statistics/Center of Disease Control and prevention (NCHS/CDC) reference population were calculated. Out of 1915 children, 300 (16.5 per cent) were stunted. Female children compared to males were more likely to be stunted (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.26; 95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.53). Children older than 7 years were more likely to be stunted (PR, 1.40; CI, 1.14-1.72). Fathers who were working as government employees (PR, 1.71; CI, 1.05-2.79), shopkeepers (PR, 2.00; CI, 1.22-3.26) and farmers (PR, 1.43; CI, 0.93-2.22) were more likely to have children who were stunted when compared to landlords. In rural areas of southern Pakistan, sex of child, age of the child, and father's occupation may be considered as important risk factors for stunting among school children aged 6-12 years.
AB - Protein-energy malnutrition is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The purpose of the present study was to measure the prevalence of stunting and its correlates among school children aged 6-12 years in the rural areas of southern Pakistan. We selected 1915 children aged 6-12 years enrolled in 32 primary schools in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Trained community health workers conducted child height and weight measurements and collected information from the parents. The Z-scores for the distribution of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height relative to those of National Center for Health Statistics/Center of Disease Control and prevention (NCHS/CDC) reference population were calculated. Out of 1915 children, 300 (16.5 per cent) were stunted. Female children compared to males were more likely to be stunted (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.26; 95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.53). Children older than 7 years were more likely to be stunted (PR, 1.40; CI, 1.14-1.72). Fathers who were working as government employees (PR, 1.71; CI, 1.05-2.79), shopkeepers (PR, 2.00; CI, 1.22-3.26) and farmers (PR, 1.43; CI, 0.93-2.22) were more likely to have children who were stunted when compared to landlords. In rural areas of southern Pakistan, sex of child, age of the child, and father's occupation may be considered as important risk factors for stunting among school children aged 6-12 years.
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U2 - 10.1093/tropej/fmh067
DO - 10.1093/tropej/fmh067
M3 - Article
C2 - 15677373
AN - SCOPUS:20444401496
SN - 0142-6338
VL - 51
SP - 72
EP - 77
JO - Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
IS - 2
ER -