Kasaii Maryam Sadat, Rodrigues Sara, Abdollahi Morteza, Houshiar-Rad Anahita, Perelman Julian
Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1546817613, Iran.
Nutrients. 2025 May 9;17(10):1631. doi: 10.3390/nu17101631.
Evidence indicates a high prevalence of stunting and overweight among Iranian children. This study explores their socioeconomic patterning and the mediating role of nutrition adequacy. The data were derived from the most recent 2017 Demography and Health Survey and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, which were conducted in Iran. Children aged between 2 and 5 years were selected for the study through a two-stage random sampling process ( = 11,147). The probability of stunting and overweight was modeled using logistic regression. Parental education, occupation, and living conditions (areas, rooms, and assets of the household) were explanatory variables, with the diet diversity score (DDS) as a mediator. Analyses were adjusted for age and sex. Children had over 1.7 times higher odds of stunting with a primary-educated father [95% CI: 1.13-2.62] and twice the odds with an illiterate mother [95% CI: 1.30-3.30]. The risk of stunting was almost 1.5 higher in children living in smaller houses [95% CI: 1.12-2.04]. Finally, a significant association was observed between low asset ownership and stunting [OR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.23-3.27]. The results showed no significant relationship between socioeconomic factors and children's overweight, indicating that overweight was less socially patterned. Higher DDS was associated with lower stunting and higher overweight prevalence but did not mediate the effects of socioeconomic status. : Stunting disproportionately affects children from households with a lower socioeconomic background in Iran. Parental education, area, and assets were key factors, highlighting the need for targeted nutrition education programs.
有证据表明，伊朗儿童发育迟缓与超重的患病率很高。本研究探讨了它们的社会经济模式以及营养充足的中介作用。数据来自于2017年在伊朗进行的最新人口与健康调查以及多指标类集调查。通过两阶段随机抽样过程选取了2至5岁的儿童进行研究（n = 11147）。发育迟缓和超重的概率采用逻辑回归模型进行分析。父母的教育程度、职业和生活条件（家庭所在地区、房间数量和资产）为解释变量，饮食多样性得分（DDS）作为中介变量。分析对年龄和性别进行了调整。父亲为小学文化程度的儿童发育迟缓几率高出1.7倍以上[95%置信区间：1.13 - 2.62]，母亲为文盲的儿童发育迟缓几率高出两倍[95%置信区间：1.30 - 3.30]。居住在较小房屋中的儿童发育迟缓风险几乎高出1.5倍[95%置信区间：1.12 - 2.04]。最后，观察到资产拥有量低与发育迟缓之间存在显著关联[比值比 = 2.01；95%置信区间：1.23 - 3.27]。结果表明社会经济因素与儿童超重之间无显著关系，表明超重的社会模式不那么明显。较高的饮食多样性得分与较低的发育迟缓率和较高的超重患病率相关，但并未介导社会经济地位的影响。结论：在伊朗，发育迟缓对社会经济背景较低家庭的儿童影响尤为严重。父母的教育程度、居住地区和资产是关键因素，这突出了开展针对性营养教育项目的必要性。
