title: Determinants of stunting in children under five in Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of stunting in children under five and identify factors associated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional study conducted in 1991, 1997 and 2006 in the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. The following variables associated with the prevalence of stunting (height-for-age < -2 z-score) were studied: socioeconomic condition, maternal and child characteristics, and health care provided. A hierarchical model was used in the multiple logistic regression to assess the impact of explanatory variables on children's stunting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of child malnutrition (height-for-age) was reduced by 65% from 1991 to 2006. Socioeconomic variables (per capita family income, maternal education, number of people living in the household and access to consumer goods), maternal height and birth weight were associated with stunting in children under five.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All the determinants studied improved over the study period though not consistently. Despite significant reduction of child malnutrition in Pernambuco there remain differences regarding stunting, and children with better socioeconomic conditions have more favorable outcomes.
authors: Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brasil. risiamenezes@yahoo.com.br
authors: Risia Cristina Egito de
authors: RC
authors: Menezes
authors: Pedro Israel Cabral de
authors: PI
authors: Lira
authors: Vanessa Sá
authors: VS
authors: Leal
authors: Juliana Souza
authors: JS
authors: Oliveira
authors: Sandra Cristina da Silva
authors: SC
authors: Santana
authors: Leopoldina Augusta de Souza
authors: LA
authors: Sequeira
authors: Anete
authors: A
authors: Rissin
authors: Malaquias
authors: M
authors: Batista Filho
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009035:Mothers; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population