Trends of Child Wasting and Stunting in Uganda from 1995 to 2016, and Progress Towards 65<sup>TH</sup> World Health Assembly Global Nutrition Targets

Abstract

Between 1995 and 2016, the government of Uganda ratified several commitments to fight child undernutrition including achieving the 65 th World Health Assembly (WHA) targets of reducing stunting and wasting by 2025. It is important we monitor such commitments to inform policy makers about the progress of their commitments. The objective of this study was to review national and regional trends of stunting and wasting in Uganda from 1995 to 2016, and assess progress towards the 65 th WHA global nutrition targets for stunting and wasting. The Uganda Demographic and Health Surveys conducted from 1995 to 2016 were used to review national regional trends in stunting and wasting for children less than five years of age. At national level, the prevalence of wasting decreased from 5.3% in 1995 to 4.0% in 2016 while the prevalence of stunting decreased from 38.3% in 1995 to 29% in 2016. The annual reduction rate of stunting and wasting were 0.45% and 0.01% respectively. At regional level, the prevalence of wasting in Karamoja increased from 7.1% in 2011 to 10% in 2016, a similar trend of wasting was observed in west Nile (from 6.2 % in 2011 to 10.4 % in 2016), the prevalence of stunting (13.5% in 2011 to 18% in 2016) increased in Kampala region. In the year 2016, there was regional inequalities of stunting and wasting. Some regions were above or below the national prevalence. There was an overall decline of wasting and stunting in Uganda between 1995 and 2016, but the prevalence of stunting remained unacceptably high at 29%. By the year 2016, Uganda had already achieved the 65 th WHA target for wasting but may not achieve for stunting by 2025 if the annual reduction rate of stunting remains low at 0.45%. These findings summarize progress achieved towards fighting stunting and wasting in the last two decades in Uganda and help identify regions that need feasible interventions.

Factors Associated With Undernutrition Among 20 to 49 Year Old Women in Uganda: A Secondary Analysis of the Uganda Demographic Health Survey 2016

“…Furthermore, these studies have shown slow annual stunting reduction rate of 0.45% which increases the chances of these children growing into stunted adults and this could partly explain the high proportions and increased odds of stunting in western and central regions seen in this study. An alternative explanation to these findings could be the fact that Western Uganda is partly inhabited by the Batwa tribe, an indigenous pygmy population who are relatively short (in height) compared to other Ugandans (48,49) and the possibility of migration of stunted women from other regions to the Central and Western regions which are the most economically vibrant regions.…”

Cognitive development among children in a low-income setting: Cost-effectiveness analysis of a maternal nutrition education intervention in rural Uganda

“…In line with this, a survey from 2016 showed that undernutrition is highly prevalent in rural Uganda [9], with 29% of children aged 6-59 months being stunted (i.e., low height-forage and a marker for chronic undernutrition), 4% being wasted (i.e., low weight-for-height and a marker for acute undernutrition), and 11% being underweight [10]. Statistics show that there was an overall decline in wasting and stunting prevalence between 1995 and 2016; however, the annual reduction rate of stunting and wasting was only 0.45% and 0.01%, respectively [11]. Notably, only a few interventions targeting nutrition have been implemented in Uganda [12,13].…”

A food‐based approach could improve dietary adequacy for 12–23‐month‐old Eastern Ugandan children

“…In Uganda, the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) shows 53%, 29% and 4% of 6-59-month-old children are anaemic, stunted and wasted, respectively, and only 15% of 6-23-month-old children are fed a minimum acceptable diet (UBOS, 2018). Even though these rates of stunted growth are high, they have declined from 38% in 1994 to 29% in 2016, which has been attributed in part to national efforts promoting nutrition interventions in the first 1000 days of life (Buzigi, 2018). This annual rate of decline, however, is too slow to achieve the 2025 World Health Assembly Global Nutrition targets, for Uganda, to reduce stunting by 40% (Buzigi, 2018).…”

“…Even though these rates of stunted growth are high, they have declined from 38% in 1994 to 29% in 2016, which has been attributed in part to national efforts promoting nutrition interventions in the first 1000 days of life (Buzigi, 2018). This annual rate of decline, however, is too slow to achieve the 2025 World Health Assembly Global Nutrition targets, for Uganda, to reduce stunting by 40% (Buzigi, 2018).…”