ABSTRACT:
Objective: Determining the prevalence and risk factors associated with stunting among school children in Sohag governorate, Egypt.
Methods: This is a cross sectional study that is carried out from January 2017 to May 2017 at Sohag governorate,. In this period, a total coverage of children from one urban and one rural school whom their parents accept to participate in the study were done. Results: A total of l786 child were enrolled in the study, (18.4%) were stunted (below 2 z score), about 76 (4.3%) children their stature were below 3z score. Factors which found to be significant in contributing to risk for stunting are parasite infestation [p = <0.001; odds ratio 1.8; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.3-2.5)], anemia [p = <0.001; odds ratio 1.7; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.3-2.7)], BMI [p = <0.001; odds ratio 1.2; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.1-1.3)], more frequent gastroenteritis [p = 003; odds ratio 1.1; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.06-1.2)] and familial short stature [p = 004; odds ratio 1.5; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.2-2.1)] were independent factors of stunting between children. Conclusion: The study found that presence of family history of short stature, anemia, vitamin deficiency, parasitic infestations, frequent gastroenteritis and low BMI were the most important risk factors for childhood stunting among school children in Sohag governorate