Advances in Nursing & Midwifery

Abstract

Abstract

Background and aim:

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing stunting among first grade primary school

children in Tehran, Iran 2008.

Material and Method:

whose height was measured using standard protocols. 86 stunned children (Case group) and 308

children with normal height recruited for the study, using a cluster sampling method in 5 districts of

Tehran. Stunting was defined as the height for age below the 5th percentile of CDC2000 standard.

The tool for data collection was a questionnaire including questions about children's birth weight

and height, duration of breast feeding and demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by

SPSS14 and using Chi-square, student t-test and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

duration of breast feeding were 2.9±0.6 kg, 17.4± 8.7 months, respectively among stunted children

which were significantly lower than non stunted children (3.2 ± 0.5 kg 20± 7.7 months,

respectively) (P<0.05).The parents of stunted children had lower education (P<0.05).

Logistic regression analysis showed that odds ratio of stunting among children is 4.6 for children

with "birth weight of lower than 3Kg" compared to children with "birth weight higher than 3Kg"

(CI= 95%; OR:1.4-14.7). Odds ratio of stunning was also 3.3 (CI= 95%; OR: 1.1-9.2) among

children with "breast feeding less than 3months" compared to "breast feeding more than 3 months" .

It was also 6.7 (CI= 95%; OR: 1. 1-9.2).

Conclusion:

health care during pregnancy and breast feeding in first 3 month of life were shown as the most

important factors influencing stunting.

Key Words

Corresponding Author:

Research, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences

and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

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