Stunting associated with poor socioeconomic and maternal nutrition status and respiratory morbidity in Colombian schoolchildren

Background. There are few recent reports on the prevalence and risk factors of stunting and thinness among schoolchildren in Latin America. Objective. To determine the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of stunting and thinness among school-age children in Bogota, Colombia, and to examine whether these nutritional indices are associated with the risk of respiratory and diarrheal morbidity symptoms, visits to the doctor, and school absenteeism during the school year in a prospective study Methods. We obtained information on anthropometric and maternal sociodemographic characteristics of 3,100 children 5 to 12 years of age who attended public primary schools in 2006 and who came from low- and middle-income households. Data on the incidence of common gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms were collected prospectively on morbidity diaries throughout the year. Results. The prevalence rates of stunting and thinness were 9.9% and 8.7%, respectively. There were inverse, statistically significant trends in the prevalence of stunting by categories of child's birth and current weight; maternal education level, height, and body mass index (BMI); and household socioeconomic stratum. A strong positive association was found with maternal parity (p for trend < .0001). Thinness was positively associated with the child's and the mother's age and inversely associated with birthweight and maternal BMI. Stunting was associated with a 44% increase in the incidence of cough with fever during the school year (p = .04). Conclusions. Child stunting in Bogota is associated with poor socioeconomic and maternal nutritional status and predicts symptoms of respiratory infection.