Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Community Medicine

Nutritional stunting is a major public health problem that affects individuals and communities. The etiology of stunting is multifactorial including socioeconomic status, recurrent acute illness and inadequate dietary intake. This thesis represents a case control study conducted at the national nutrition institute to assess the dietary risk factors of stunting. The study included 300children aged 2-<9 years, 148 stunted children as cases and 152 non-stunted as control. Anthropometric measurements were assessed, socio economic status was evaluated using a modified scoring system of Fahmy and Elsherbeni questionnaire and dietary assessment was done using 24 hours recall and food frequency questionnaire. This study showed that children with higher socioeconomic class, higher parental education, fathers work as skilled workers and clerks and reside in urban areas with better sanitary environment have better nutritional status and less likely to be stunted. Regarding diet as a risk factor of stunting we found that among children aged 4-8 years stunted children had significantly lower intake of macro and micronutrients, and they also had significantly lower intake of all food groups except the grain- pasta group.In children aged 2-3 years and 8-<9 years dietary intake was different among stunted and non-stunted children however the difference was not statistically significant. Low food intake is clear among children of different age groups regardless of being stunted or not. Immediate intervention in the form of food {u2013}nutrition program geared toward improving child health and growth is needed

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