Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Food Insecurity on Stunting among Children aged 06-59 Months

Abstract

Thousands of individuals from countries of low economy are suffering from different forms of malnutrition. Asian’ countries have one of the world's highest percentages of malnutrition. Food insecurity is one of the variables that contribute to malnutrition in developing nations, but its results in wasting and developmental delay in children. Present study was aimed to acess family food insecurity and its relationship with nutritional status of children aged 6 to 59 months in Nankana Sahab, Punjab, Pakistan. A community-based cross sectional study of 450 mothers with 6–59-month-old children was conducted from different urban and rural areas of Nankana Sahib using systematic random sampling technique involving families with eligible children. Data were collected using structural questionnaires having questions on food insecurities, stunting and socioeconomic status. Univariate analysis was done. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to see the association between food insecurity and nutritional status of children. Results of Pearson product moment correlation analysis showed statistically relevant value of p less than 0.05 was considered positive association between variables. Multiple regression analysis found socioeconomic status and food insecurity as significant positive predictors for stunting among children.