Ethnic variation in stunting and its concomitant factors among indigenous preschool children of Purulia district, West Bengal, India

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate variations in the prevalence of stunting by age, sex, and ethnicity, as well as its associated factors. The present cross-sectional study was conducted in three blocks of Purulia district, focusing on children from two distinct ethnic groups (Kurmi and Sabar). A total of 701 study participants (boys: 372; girls: 329) were investigated, from the Kurmi (377) and Sabar (324) communities, within the age group of 1–5 years. The children’s stunting status was assessed in terms of height using WHO-recommended Z-score values. The overall rate of stunting was 58.2%, with the Sabar children (75%) having a significantly higher rate of stunting than the Kurmi ones (43.77%) (χ2 = 69.87, p