Determinants of stunting among children under 2 years in urban informal settlements in Mumbai, India: evidence from a household census

Abstract

Background There is limited evidence on the determinants of childhood stunting across urban India or specifically in slum settlements. This study aims to assess the extent of stunting among children under 2 years of age and examine its determinants in informal settlements of Mumbai. Methods Data were collected in 2014–2015 in a post intervention census of a cluster randomized controlled trial to improve the health of women and children. Census covered 40 slum settlements of around 600 households each. A total of 3578 children were included in the study. Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with stunting. Results The prevalence of stunting among children aged 0–23 months was 38%. In the adjusted model, higher maternal education (AOR 0.59; 95% CI 0.42, 0.82), birth interval of at least 2 years (AOR 0.71; 95% CI 0.58, 0.87) and intended conception of the child (AOR 0.80; 95% CI 0.64, 0.99) were associated with lower odds of stunting. Maternal exposure to physical violence (AOR 1.83; 95% CI 1.21, 2.77) was associated with higher odds of being stunted. A child aged 18–23 months had 5.04 times greater odds (95% CI 3.91, 6.5) of being stunted than a child less than 6 months of age. Male child had higher odds of being stunted (AOR 1.33; 95% CI 1.14, 1.54). Conclusions Our findings support a multidimensional aetiology for stunting. The results of the study emphasize the importance of women’s status and decision-making power in urban India, along with access to and uptake of family planning and services to provide support for survivors of domestic violence. Ultimately, a multilateral effort is needed to ensure the success of nutrition-specific interventions by focusing on the underlying health and social status of women living in urban slums. Trial registration ISRCTN Register: ISRCTN56183183, and Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2012/09/003004

Secular Growth Trends in Early Childhood—Evidence from Two Low-Income Birth Cohorts Recruited over a Decade in Vellore, India

“… 46 However, there has been a recent trend reported in analyses that males are more vulnerable to health inequalities and stunting in early childhood probably due to better nutrition in females. 47 , 48 …”

“…46 However, there has been a recent trend reported in analyses that males are more vulnerable to health inequalities and stunting in early childhood probably due to better nutrition in females. 47,48 Stunting has been recognized as an urgent priority in India. 3,36 The National Nutrition Mission (NNM) launched by the Indian Government aims to eradicate malnutrition in India by 2022.…”

Pengaruh Intervensi Gizi Sensitif terhadap Kejadian Stunting pada Balita Usia 6-24 Bulan selama Pandemi Covid-19

“…Hal ini dikaitkan dengan peningkatan penyebaran penyakit melalui air 33 dan kemungkinan paparan penyakit infeksi 62,75,76 . Sejalan dengan penelitian Das et al 102 dan Rah et al 103 , akses air bersih tidak berkaitan dengan kejadian stunting (Tabel 2). Akses air bersih sebagian masyarakat pada penelitian ini diduga sudah sesuai dengan standar minimum pemerintah sehingga akses air bersih tidak menjadi penyebab stunting pada penelitian ini.…”

Understanding the interaction between stunting and women’s autonomy

“…Kekerasan pada perempuan apalagi selama hamil menciptakan masalah psikologis dan fisik. Ibu yang mengalami kekerasan fisik, memiliki potensi dua kali lebih besar memiliki anak stunting (Das et al, 2020). Chai et al (2016) yang melakukan penelitian di 29 negara menunjukkan bahwa terdapat hubungan yang sangat signifikan antara kekerasan pada ibu dengan stunting.…”