Stunting as a Synonym of Social Disadvantage and Poor Parental Education

Christiane Scheffler, Michael Hermanussen, Sugi Deny Pranoto Soegianto, Alexandro Valent Homalessy, Samuel Yan Touw, Sevany Isabella Angi, Queen Sugih Ariyani, Tjahyo Suryanto, Giovanni Kathlix Immanuel Matulessy, Taolin Fransiskus, Andrea V. Ch. Safira, Maria Natalia Puteri, Rani Rahmani, Debora Natalia Ndaparoka, Maria Kurniati Ester Payong, Yohannes Dian Indrajati, Reynardo Kurnia Hadiyanto Purba, Regina Maya Manubulu, Madarina Julia and Aman B. Pulungan
Additional contact information
Christiane Scheffler: Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Human Biology, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
Michael Hermanussen: University of Kiel, Aschauhof, 24340 Eckernförde-Altenhof, Germany
Sugi Deny Pranoto Soegianto: Indonesian Pediatric Society, East Nusa Tenggara Branch, Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Alexandro Valent Homalessy: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Samuel Yan Touw: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Sevany Isabella Angi: DDS PPDGS Konservasi Gigi FKG UGM, Jl. Sekip Utara, Sumatra, Medan 20153, Indonesia
Queen Sugih Ariyani: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Tjahyo Suryanto: Indonesian Pediatric Society, East Nusa Tenggara Branch, Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Giovanni Kathlix Immanuel Matulessy: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Taolin Fransiskus: Indonesian Pediatric Society, East Nusa Tenggara Branch, Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Andrea V. Ch. Safira: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Maria Natalia Puteri: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Rani Rahmani: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Debora Natalia Ndaparoka: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Maria Kurniati Ester Payong: Indonesian Medical Association Branch, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Yohannes Dian Indrajati: DDS PPDGS Konservasi Gigi FKG UGM, Jl. Sekip Utara, Sumatra, Medan 20153, Indonesia
Reynardo Kurnia Hadiyanto Purba: Faculty of Medicine, Nusa Cendana University, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Regina Maya Manubulu: Indonesian Pediatric Society, East Nusa Tenggara Branch, Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang 85351, Indonesia
Madarina Julia: Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada-Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Aman B. Pulungan: Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia-Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Socially, economically, politically and emotionally (SEPE) disadvantaged children are shorter than children from affluent background. In view of previous work on the lack of association between nutrition and child growth, we performed a study in urban schoolchildren. We measured 723 children (5.83 to 13.83 years); Kupang, Indonesia; three schools with different social background. We investigated anthropometric data, clinical signs of malnutrition, physical fitness, parental education, and household equipment. Subjective self-confidence was assessed by the MacArthur test. The prevalence of stunting was between 8.5% and 46.8%. Clinical signs of under- or malnutrition were absent even in the most underprivileged children. There was no delay in tooth eruption. Underprivileged children are physically fitter than the wealthy. The correlation between height and state of nutrition (BMI_SDS, skinfold_SDS, MUAC_SDS) ranged between r = 0.69 ( p < 0.01) and r = 0.43 ( p < 0.01) in private school children, and between r = 0.07 (ns) and r = 0.32 ( p < 0.01) in the underprivileged children. Maternal education interacted with height in affluent (r = 0.20, p < 0.01) and in underprivileged children (r = 0.20, p < 0.01). The shortness of SEPE disadvantaged children was not associated with anthropometric and clinical signs of malnutrition, nor with delay in physical development. Stunting is a complex phenomenon and may be considered a synonym of social disadvantage and poor parental education.

Keywords: stunting; social; economic; political and emotional factors on growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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