Some factors related to stunting among junior school pupilsin ethnic minority semiboarding schools, Kon Tum province, 2018

Abstract

Nutrition is an important issue among the environmental factors that affect the growth and stature of adolescent children. This was a cross-sectional study with 2,232 pupils (75.7% of the Xo Dang ethnic group) in 19 ethnic minority semi-boarding schools in Kon Tum province in 2018 to determine some factors related to stunting in junior school pupils. The results showed several factors associated to stunting situation including poor and near-poor household economic status, farming mothers
and the using latrine status to increase risk of stunting in the pupils 1.5 times (p < 0.001); 1.9 times (p < 0.01) and 1,4 times (p < 0.001) respectively; Gender of male, full boarding at school, not yet puberty, using iron table which contribute to increased risk 1.5 times (p < 0.001); 1.2 times (p < 0.05); 1.5 times (p < 0.001) and 1,5 times (p < 0.05) respectively; At the same time, all factors listed above were related to height to age z score (p < 0.05). Therefore, improvements of the socio-economic status,
living conditions and nutritional dietary intake for ethnic pupils and children in disadvantaged areas of the Central Highlands are needed to improve stunting situations.