Ethnicity and Growth Issues in African Children
Author Information
Author(s): Tusting Lucy S., Mishra Swapnil, Gibson Harry S., Lindsay Steven W., Weiss Daniel J., Flaxman Seth, Bhatt Samir
Primary Institution: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Hypothesis
Are there significant differences in anthropometric deficits among children aged <5 years belonging to different ethnic groups across sub-Saharan Africa?
Conclusion
The study found significant ethnic disparities in stunting, wasting, and underweight among children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Supporting Evidence
- Child anthropometric deficits are a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa.
- 37% of children aged <5 years were stunted in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015.
- Ethnicity is closely associated with child anthropometric deficits, with differences of up to 1.30 SD in height-for-age z-scores.
Takeaway
This study shows that children from different ethnic groups in Africa grow differently, with some groups being much shorter or lighter than others.
Methodology
Data were extracted from 37 Demographic and Health Surveys across 18 countries, analyzing anthropometric data for children aged <5 years using a generalised linear hierarchical mixed-effects model.
Potential Biases
Potential residual confounding by social and environmental factors.
Limitations
The study is observational and cannot determine causality; residual confounding may exist, and nutritional intake was not adjusted for.
Participant Demographics
Children aged <5 years from 45 ethnic groups across 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.27–0.35
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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