Determinants of Stunting among under-Five Children in Malawi

Rotimi R. F. Afolabi, University of Ibadan
Martin Palamuleni, North West University

Malnutrition among under-five children remains a public health problem that has been associated with preventable childhood diseases and deaths. The present study investigated the determinants of stunting among under-five children in Malawi. The study was based on the analysing of data on 5,707 under-five children extracted from the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and generalised linear models. Odds (OR) and adjusted odds (aOR) ratios with their respective p-values were reported. The prevalence of stunting and severe stunting were 37.1 %. Multivariable analyses showed that the significant risk factors for stunting among children below age five were: type of residence, wealth status, sex of children, size at birth, multiple births, age at birth, mother’s education and weight status of the mother. Public health programs that seek to increase knowledge on benefits of nutrition should be strengthened and should target high-risk subpopulations.