Table 5

Prevalence ratios for association between nutrition and WASH variables and stunting

NUnadjusted PR (pooled)NaPR (pooled)NaPR
(1–6 months)
NaPR
(6–12 months)
NaPR
(12–24 months)
Child-level indicators
 Currently breast fed*39080.61 (0.53, 0.70)37091.10 (0.92, 1.32)10550.82 (0.34, 1.98)10901.82 (0.79, 4.22)15641.10 (0.91, 1.32)
 Minimum dietary diversity met*, †39730.65 (0.56, 0.75)37650.89 (0.78, 1.03)n/a11120.98 (0.71, 1.37)15980.87 (0.74, 1.03)
 Minimum meal frequency met*, †39841.50 (1.29, 1.74)37761.09 (0.93, 1.28)n/a11121.45 (0.94, 2.23)15981.00 (0.82, 1.22)
Household−level indicators
 Improved drinking water source*, ††39750.83 (0.69, 1.01)37670.80 (0.67, 0.97)10630.78 (0.48, 1.29)11100.77 (0.53, 1.11)15940.81 (0.65, 1.00)
 Presence of water and soap at handwashing*39780.97 (0.84, 1.11)37710.94 (0.82, 1.08)10640.86 (0.59, 1.25)11100.82 (0.62, 1.10)15971.05 (0.88, 1.26)
 Proper disposal of child stool*, ¶29941.13 (0.89, 1.44)28430.82 (0.64, 1.03)6220.92 (0.52, 1.60)8850.77 (0.48, 1.23)13360.82 (0.60, 1.12)
 Sanitation facility*39773769106511121592
  Improved‡0.76 (0.65, 0.89)0.93 (0.78, 1.11)0.69 (0.44, 1.09)0.95 (0.63, 1.43)1.03 (0.84, 1.26)
  Shared0.87 (0.70, 1.07)0.89 (0.72, 1.10)0.84 (0.43, 1.62)0.86 (0.53, 1.40)1.00 (0.78, 1.29)
 None (open defecation)refrefrefrefref
Community−level indicators
 Improved drinking water source (village level)**, ††39841.20 (0.94 to 1.53)37921.20 (0.93, 1.55)10681.36 (0.63, 2.95)11201.57 (0.89, 2.76)16041.09 (0.80, 1.48)
 Proper disposal of child stool (village level)¶, **39701.02 (0.67, 1.56)37781.08 (0.70, 1.66)10632.04 (0.60, 6.96)11161.24 (0.43, 3.58)15990.91 (0.55, 1.51)
 Improved sanitation facility (village level)‡, **39840.78 (0.63, 0.98)37920.91 (0.71, 1.16)10680.43 (0.21, 0.88)11201.14 (0.67, 1.94)16041.00 (0.75, 1.34)
 Shared sanitation facility (village level)**39841.04 (0.65, 1.66)37921.09 (0.70, 1.72)10681.53 (0.44, 5.31)11200.61 (0.20, 1.83)16041.19 (0.71, 2.01)
 Open defecation (village level)**39841.29 (1.02, 1.63)37921.11 (0.87, 1.42)10682.13 (1.10, 4.11)11201.02 (0.58, 1.77)16040.98 (0.73, 1.32)
  • *Adjusted for child gender, child age, child illness, maternal age, maternal education, household size and household wealth index quintile; clustered by village.

  • †Only children >6 months.

  • ‡Improved sanitation facilities include: flush/pour flush toilet to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine, a ventilated improved pit latrine, a pit latrine with slab and a composting toilet.

  • ¶Proper disposal of children faeces consist of putting or rinsing stool into a sanitation facility or burying it; inadequate disposal of children faeces includes putting or rinsing stool into a drain or ditch, throwing it into garbage or leaving it in the open.

  • **Adjusted for village-level covariates: % male, mean child age, % with illness, % breast fed and mean household wealth index quintile.

  • ††Improved sources of drinking water include: piped water into dwelling/yard/plot, public tap or standpipe, tubewell or borehole, protected dug well, protected spring, bottled water and rainwater.

  • PRs, prevalence ratios.