{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T20:49:06Z","timestamp":1773262146886,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]],"date-time":"2026-01-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767398400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]],"date-time":"2026-01-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767398400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100010483","name":"Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100010483","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Paediatrics Child Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Stunting, defined as low height\u2010for\u2010age, impairs growth, cognitive development and contributes to long\u2010term poverty through poor school performance and health outcomes. In Tanzania, 28% of children under 5 are stunted, with Iringa Region showing the highest prevalence (57%). It is unclear why such high incidences occur despite the region being a leading food producer.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To explore underlying factors, a community\u2010based cross\u2010sectional survey was conducted in four districts of Iringa in September\u2013October 2024, involving children under 2\u2009years. Data were collected using household questionnaires covering feeding practices, water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH), vaccination, illness and socio\u2010demographic factors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The median age was 14\u2009months and 205 (51%) were male. Overall, out of 397, 59% were stunted, though most had normal underweight (89%) and wasting status (97.5%). Additionally, 94% met minimum dietary diversity, confirming diet alone does not explain the high stunting rate. Bivariate analysis identified nine significant variables: gender, underweight status, toilet sharing, child hand wash before and after feeding, continued breastfeeding, measles vaccination, vitamin A supplementation and feeding diversity, of which five (5) remained significant in multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed male children had 2.2 times higher odds of stunting; risk also increased among underweight children but was lower in those under 1\u2009year. Continued breastfeeding after 6\u2009months reduced odds of stunting by 61%. Children in households sharing toilets had almost half the odds.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Findings highlight the need to promote breastfeeding beyond 6\u2009months, strengthen nutrition and WaSH programs and target interventions for male and underweight children.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/jpc.70283","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]],"date-time":"2026-01-03T10:08:10Z","timestamp":1767434890000},"page":"389-397","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Gender, Feeding Practices and Hygiene Factors Linked to Early Stunting in Iringa, Tanzania: Paradox of Food Abundance"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2869-8338","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Grantina","family":"Modern","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life Science and Bioengineering Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology  Arusha Tanzania"},{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology University of Dar es Salaam  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"},{"name":"Executive Committee, Tanzania Human Genetics Organization (THGO)  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1633-297X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aneth","family":"David","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology University of Dar es Salaam  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"},{"name":"Executive Committee, Tanzania Human Genetics Organization (THGO)  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kilaza Samson","family":"Mwaikono","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Executive Committee, Tanzania Human Genetics Organization (THGO)  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"},{"name":"Department of Science and Laboratory Technology Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Beatus","family":"Lyimo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life Science and Bioengineering Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology  Arusha Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2584-7606","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sylvester","family":"Lyantagaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology University of Dar es Salaam  Dar es Salaam Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","volume-title":"Levels and Trends in Child Malnutrition UNICEF \/ WHO \/ World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Key Findings of the 2021 Edition","author":"UNICEF\/WHO\/WORLD BANK","year":"2021"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24018\/ejmed.2024.6.2.2080"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","volume-title":"Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey 2022: Key Indicators Report","author":"Ministry of Health (MoH) [Tanzania Mainland], Ministry of Health (MoH) [Zanzibar], National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Office of the Chief Government Statistician (OCGS), 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