Risk factors of chronic childhood malnutrition: an analysis of the Bangladesh demographic and health survey 2014 data

Aim In Bangladesh, 36% of children under the age of 5 are moderately or severely stunted, impeding the country’s overall public health outcomes. Some differences have been found in the associations of risk factors and two forms of stunting; therefore, investigating why these differences exist is necessary. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for moderate and severe stunting in Bangladeshi children < 5 years old. Methods Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014 (BDHS 2014) data were analyzed in this study; the information of 7131 mother-child pairs was available. Height-for-age z-scores (HFAz) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 growth standards were used to define moderate (HFAz <−2 SD) and severe stunting (HFAz<−3 SD). The associations between selected independent factors and nutritional status were assessed using chi-square tests, and potential risk factors were explored using multiple multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results The multinomial analysis demonstrated that child age (0–11 months), small size at birth, fever and diarrhea within 2 weeks before the survey, maternal height ≤ 145 cm, and maternal body mass index (BMI) ≤18.50 kg/m 2 were significant risk factors for both moderate and severe childhood stunting. The area of residence (rural), mother’s exposure to television, father’s engagement in agricultural work, and residence in Chittagong and Sylhet were associated with severe stunting, whereas residence in Rajshahi, maternal BMI (18.51–25.00 kg/m 2 ), and maternal primary or secondary education level were associated with moderate stunting. Conclusion A low number of children under the age of 5 had fever and diarrhea, but these factors were significantly associated with developing moderate or severe stunting and demand further study. Along with ongoing nutritional programs, the government should make comprehensive targeted efforts to change the nutritional status of mothers and children.