Household air pollution and caste-ethnic differences in undernutrition among children in Nepal. Issue 8 (16th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lamichhane, Dirga Kumar; Leem, Jong Han; Kim, Hwan Cheol
• Is Part Of: Archives of environmental & occupational health. Volume 75:Issue 8(2020)
• Page Start: 435
• Page End: 444
• Publication Date: 2020-11-16
• Subjects: Caste/ethnicity -- children -- household air pollution -- Nepal -- undernutrition; Medicine, Preventive -- Periodicals; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational diseases -- Periodicals; Environmental Health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2019.1699771
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1933-8244

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigated whether the association between household air pollution (HAP) and nutritional status (stunting, underweight, or wasting) among children differ by caste/ethnicity. Child anthropometry data for 9, 914 children aged 0–59 months were analyzed linearly as Z scores and as dichotomous categories. Exposure to HAP was significantly associated with a decrease in child height-for-age and child weight-for-age, as well as with stunting and underweight. Children in low caste (Dalits) had higher prevalence of stunting (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21; 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01, 1.44), underweight (OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.24, 1.75), and wasting (OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.21, 1.92) than those children in upper caste group. This association was modestly attenuated with adjustment for HAP. Exposure to HAP partly explained the caste-ethnic difference in undernutrition among children in Nepal.