Effects of Parental Education and Wealth on Early Childhood Stunting in Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract Background Malnutrition is considered to be a major public health challenge, which is associated with a range of health issues, including childhood stunting. Stunting is a reliable and well-recognized indicator of chronic childhood malnutrition. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of parental education and wealth on different specification of stunting among 17490 children below five years of age in Bangladesh. Methods Correlates of child stunting were examined using data generated by a cross-sectional cluster survey conducted in Bangladesh in 2019. The data includes a total of 17490 children (aged < 5 years) from 64400 households. Multiple logistic regressions were used to determine the risk factors associated with child stunting and severe stunting. Results The prevalence of stunting and severe stunting for children was 25.96% and 7.97%, respectively. Children aged 24 to <36 months [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.65, 95% CI: 2.30, 3.05] and aged 36 to <48 months [OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 2.02, 2.69] had more risk of stunting compared to the children aged <6 months. Children from Sylhet division had the greatest risk of stunting of all the eight divisions [OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.46]. Children of secondary complete or higher educated mothers were less likely to develop stunting [OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.79] compared with children of mothers having no education at all. Similarly, children of secondary complete or higher educated father [OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.87] were found to have lower risk of stunting compared with children whose father hadn’t any education. Substantially lower risk of stunting was observed among children whose mother and father both completed secondary education or above [OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.69]. Children from richest households [OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.58] had 51 % smaller odds on stunting compared to children from poorest families. Conclusions After controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors, parental education and household position in wealth index were found as to be the most important determinants of child stunting in Bangladesh.