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. 2024 Aug 27;24:2321. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19858-z

Table 2.

Univariate analyses and logistic regression of the factors associated with stunting among school children

Variable Total, N (%), N = 1205 Stunting COR (95% CI) P-value AOR (95% CI)a P-value
Present, N (%), N = 571 Absent, N (%), N = 634
Age

6–9 years

10 – 12 years

443 (36.8)

762 (63.2)

231 (52.1)

340 (44.6)

212 (47.9)

422 (55.4)

1.4 (1.1–1.7)

1

0.012 1 1.3 (1.1–1.7) 0.014
Gender

Male

Female

624 (51.8)

581 (48.2)

232 (37.2)

339 (58.3)

392 (62.8)

242 (41.7)

1

2.4 (1.9–3.0)

 < 0.001

1

2.3 (1.8–3.0)

 < 0.001
Family economic statusb
Poor 880 (73.0) 479 (54.4) 401 (45.6) 3.0  < 0.001 1  < 0.001
Not poor 325 (27.0) 92 (28.3) 233 (71.7)

(2.3–4.0)

1

2.2 (1.5–3.2)
Family size

 < 5 people

 ≥ 5 people

630 (52.3)

575 (47.7)

208 (33.0)

363 (63.1)

422 (67.0)

212 (36.9)

1

3.5 (2.7–4.4)

 < 0.001

1

3.0 (2.4–3.9)

 < 0.001
Mother’s literacy

Literate

Illiterate

208 (17.3)

997 (82.7)

51 (24.5)

520 (52.2)

157 (75.5)

477 (47.8)

1

3.4 (2.4–4.7)

 < 0.001

1

1.6 (1.0–2.6)

0.038
Father’s (guardian of family) occupation

With job

Jobless

994 (82.5)

211 (17.5)

414 (41.6)

157 (74.4)

580 (58.4)

54 (25.6)

1

4.1 (2.9–5.7)

 < 0.001

1

3.3 (2.3–4.8)

 < 0.001
Habit of nail biting

Yes

No

186 (15.4)

1019 (84.6)

100 (53.8)

471 (46.2)

86 (46.2)

548 (53.8)

1.4 (1.0–1.9)

1

0.058
Handwashing after defecating/before eating

Yes

No

939 (77.9)

266 (22.1)

436 (46.4)

135 (50.8)

503 (53.6)

131 (49.2)

1

1.2 (0.9–1.6)

0.213
Toilet availability
 Yes 1108 520 (46.9) 588 (53.1) 1 0.286
 No (open defecation)

(92.0)

97 (8.0)

51 (52.6) 46 (47.4) 0.8 (0.5–1.2)
Sanitation
 Good 123 (10.2) 54 (43.9) 69 (56.1) 1 0.414
 Poor 1082 (89.8) 517 (47.8) 565 (52.2) 1.2 (0.8–1.7)
Take breakfast before coming to school
 Yes 1013 (84.1) 459 (45.3) 554 (54.7) 1 0.001 1 0.001
 No 192 (15.9) 112 (58.3) 80 (41.7) 1.7 (1.2–2.3) 1.7 (1.2–2.3)

AOR Adjusted Odds Ratio, CI Confidence interval, COR Crude odds ratio, N Number

aVariables with non-significance on bivariate analysis were not included in logistic regression model

bFamily economic status: Poor = Family which earn < 170 Afghanis (< 1.90 USD) per person per day. Not poor = Family which earn ≥ 170 Afghanis (≥ 1.90 USD) per person per day