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Factors influencing stunting among children in rural Tanzania: an agro-climatic zone perspective

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Abstract

This paper analyzed stunting in children in Tanzania and its linkages to agro-climatic conditions and related factors, unraveling the complex interactions of determinants of under-nutrition in two contrasting regions of Tanzania. We used logistic regression models to establish relationships between stunting and multiple variables belonging to different domains. The prevalence of stunting and severe stunting in children was 41% and 21% respectively, while 11% of women had a Body Mass Index of below 18.5. Results also indicate that 17% of children and 16% of women were anaemic. Regression analysis showed that major determinants of child stunting in the semi-arid Dodoma region are cultivated land size, gender and age of the child, duration of breastfeeding, household size, use of iodized salt and the distance to a water source. In sub-humid Morogoro, cultivated land size, a child’s age, duration of breastfeeding, literacy status of the mother and Body Mass Index of the mother predict stunting. We discuss how these factors influence the nutrition status of children in each agro-climatic region. The pooled model provided strong evidence to link agro-climatic zone characteristics to stunting among children. It is recommended that nutrition interventions should be specific to agro-climatic environments. Implementing agro-climatic sensitive interventional actions may help to reduce undernutrition and food insecurity in specific areas.

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Notes

  1. This is the position of an imaginary line passing through the external ear canal and across the top of the lower bone of the eye socket, immediately under the eye. It is the correct positioning of the body for measurements of height.

  2. Pocket/sack gardening in Tanzania involves growing vegetables in earth-filled sacks which are placed on doorsteps; it requires little water and hence is a highly suitable option for areas with water scarcity.

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Acknowledgements

The work in this paper was funded by the Innovating Strategies to Safeguard Food Security using Technology and Knowledge Transfer: A People-Centred Approach Project (‘Trans-SEC’). The Trans-SEC project is financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and co-financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania

    Hadijah A. Mbwana & Joyce Kinabo

  2. Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr, 30 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Christine Lambert & Hans K. Biesalski

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  1. Hadijah A. Mbwana
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  2. Joyce Kinabo
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Correspondence to Hadijah A. Mbwana.

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Mbwana, H.A., Kinabo, J., Lambert, C. et al. Factors influencing stunting among children in rural Tanzania: an agro-climatic zone perspective. Food Sec. 9, 1157–1171 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-017-0672-4

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