Table 5.
Prevalence of stunting and mean height‐for‐age in children 0–23 months old by mother characteristics. In‐depth analysis of the 2012 Comprehensive Nutrition Survey in the state of Maharashtra, India
| Proportion (%) of children stunted (HAZ < −2) | Proportion (%) of children severely stunted (HAZ < −3) | Mean height‐for‐age z‐score (HAZ) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mother's age (years) | |||
| <18 | 24.7 | 7.4 | −1.06 |
| 18 to 19 | 26.7 | 12.1 | −1.15 |
| 20 to 24 | 23.8 | 6.8 | −1.02 |
| 25 to 29 | 19.4 | 6.0 | −0.84 |
| ≥30 | 22.1 | 10.0 | −0.97 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Age at marriage (years) | |||
| <18 | 27.4 | 10.3 | −1.05 |
| ≥18 | 20.5 | 6.1 | −0.94 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.013 |
| Mother's education | |||
| None | 31.9 | 15.4 | −1.06 |
| Primary not completed | 27.7 | 12.8 | −1.29 |
| Primary completed | 27.2 | 9.1 | −1.14 |
| Secondary completed | 19.9 | 4.8 | −0.92 |
| Beyond secondary | 13.8 | 4.4 | −0.64 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Mother's access to media | |||
| Mother has access to print media | 17.0 | 3.3 | −0.81 |
| Mother does not have access to print media | 24.4 | 8.6 | −1.03 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.001 |
| Mother has access to electronic media | 19.5 | 6.0 | −0.88 |
| Mother does not have access to electronic media | 30.6 | 10.8 | −1.22 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Mother's autonomy | |||
| Mother makes decisions about buying usual food items | 23.3 | 8.3 | −0.95 |
| Mother does not make decisions about buying usual food items | 21.4 | 5.8 | −1.03 |
| P‐value | 0.63 | 0.016 | 0.18 |
| Mother's tobacco consumption | |||
| Mother smokes tobacco or uses smokeless tobacco | 30.6 | 11.8 | −1.28 |
| Mother does not smoke tobacco or use smokeless tobacco | 21.5 | 6.7 | −0.93 |
| P‐value | 0.002 | 0.012 | 0.000 |
| Mother's pregnancy history | |||
| Mother's age at first birth <18 years old | 33.1 | 10.7 | −1.16 |
| Mother's age at first birth ≥18 years old | 21.5 | 7.0 | −0.96 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.047 | 0.004 |
| Number of antenatal care visits during the last pregnancy <3 | 25.1 | 10.2 | −1.12 |
| Number of antenatal care visits during the last pregnancy ≥3 | 21.4 | 6.7 | −0.94 |
| P‐value | 0.11 | 0.15 | 0.021 |
| Mother received advice on nutrition during antenatal care | 21.5 | 6.9 | −0.95 |
| Mother did not receive advice on nutrition during antenatal care | 27.2 | 11.4 | −1.18 |
| P‐value | 0.07 | 0.006 | 0.019 |
| Number of antenatal IFA tablets during the last pregnancy <90 | 25.1 | 8.4 | −1.04 |
| Number of antenatal IFA tablets during the last pregnancy ≥90 | 20.7 | 6.6 | −0.93 |
| P‐value | 0.03 | 0.046 | 0.043 |
| Mother delivered her last child in a health facility (public or private) | 20.9 | 6.5 | −0.91 |
| Mother delivered her last child at home/not in a facility (public or private) | 32.8 | 12.8 | −1.38 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Mother' anthropometry | |||
| Mother's height <145 cm | 31.5 | 10.6 | −1.33 |
| Mother's height ≥145 cm | 17.3 | 5.4 | −0.77 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Mother's BMI <18.5 | 26.7 | 9.1 | −1.17 |
| Mother's BMI ≥18.5 | 20.5 | 6.5 | −0.88 |
| P‐value | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 |
| Mother' food consumption during pregnancy | |||
| Mother did not eat less than normal | 22.8 | 6.3 | −1.02 |
| Mother ate less than normal | 22.5 | 7.8 | −0.96 |
| P‐value | 0.78 | 0.09 | 0.37 |
| Mother ate chicken, meat, fish and/or seafood weekly | 22.2 | 7.2 | −0.97 |
| Mother did not eat chicken, meat, fish and/or seafood weekly | 23.2 | 7.6 | −0.98 |
| P‐value | 0.42 | 0.85 | 0.90 |
| Mother ate milk and/or milk products weekly | 20.6 | 5.6 | −0.87 |
| Mother did not eat milk and/or milk products weekly | 24.0 | 8.7 | −1.06 |
| P‐value | 0.024 | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Mother ate eggs weekly | 22.4 | 7.1 | −0.97 |
| Mother did not eat eggs weekly | 22.7 | 7.5 | −0.97 |
| P‐value | 0.46 | 0.62 | 0.83 |
| All combined | 22.7 | 7.4 | −0.98 |
HAZ, height‐for‐age z‐score; IFA, iron and folic acid.