Factors Influencing the Prevalence of Stunting Among Children Aged Below Five Years in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Poor nutrition during childhood impedes physical and mental development of children, which propagate the vicious cycle of intergenerational under nutrition. This paper is aimed at understanding the determinants of stunting among children aged 0 to 59 months in Bangladesh. METHODS: The study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 data and a multistage stratified cluster-sampling design. Anthropometric data (for height and weight) were collected and analysis was limited to 7647 children. Multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of stunting with potential socioeconomic and demographic factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of stunting has been found to be about 41% among children aged less than 60 months and higher in rural setting than in urban areas (43%…