Risk Factors of Stunting among a Group of Egyptian Adolescents attending Stunting Outpatient Clinic of the National Nutrition Institute in Cairo

Abstract

This study aimed to identify risk factors of stunting among a group of adolescents (10-15 years old) attending stunting clinic, National Nutrition institute in Cairo and to compare percentages of other mal-nutritional disorders (eg., anemia and obesity) among two groups (stunted group and a control group) of adolescents. A case control study was performed, the study was done in National Nutrition Institute. Cases were taken from the stunting clinic . Controls were taken from outpatient clinics . 150 cases and 300 controls were interviewed together with their guardians. An interview questionnaire was constructed and used to explore socio-economic risk factors ,24 hours recall and food frequency questionnaires were used to explore nutritional risk factors of stunting. Anthropometric assessment (weight and height ) was done. Results from recently done investigations were reported. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences ) version 20 . It was found that 57.3% of cases were males in comparison to 55% of controls . Mean height of cases was 127 significantly lower than that of controls (132.76 ±7.6 centimeters versus 147.79± 9.3 centimeters). The percentage of cases living in rural areas was significantly higher than controls (36% and 24% respectively ). There was a statistically significant difference as regards the care giving person; a lower percentage of cases (3.3%) versus (8.7 %) in controls obtained care from another person beside the mother. No significant association was found between father‘s occupation or marital status of the mother and the development of stunted growth among the study participants. Regarding mother‘s education, there was a higher percentage of illiterate mothers or had low grade education among cases (43.3 %) in comparison to (35.3%) among mothers of controls. This result was not statistically significant. Cases showed a significantly higher percentage of housewife mothers (90.7%) compared to control group (78.3%). A higher percentage of cases were underweight for their age as compared to controls (40% vs 7.7% 128 respectively). This difference was statistically significant. There was no significant difference as regards exposure of child /adolescent to passive smoking . As regards the source of drinking water ,cases were less likely to have water source inside the house (86%) compared to control group (92.3%) .This result was statistically significant.