Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers

Background: India has high rates of child undernutrition and widespread lactovegetarianism. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine how nutrition outcomes varied among Indian preschool children in relation to the vegetarian status of their parents. Methods: The 2015–2016 National Fami...

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Main Authors: Headey, Derek D., Palloni, Giordano
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: American Society for Nutrition 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142754
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author Headey, Derek D.
Palloni, Giordano
author_browse Headey, Derek D.
Palloni, Giordano
author_facet Headey, Derek D.
Palloni, Giordano
author_sort Headey, Derek D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background: India has high rates of child undernutrition and widespread lactovegetarianism. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine how nutrition outcomes varied among Indian preschool children in relation to the vegetarian status of their parents. Methods: The 2015–2016 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the 2011–2012 National Sample Survey (NSS) were used to explore associations between parental vegetarian status and child stunting and wasting at ages 0–59 mo and anemia at ages 6–59 mo. In the NFHS, self-reports on usual consumption of foods were used to classify maternal diets, whereas in the NSS lactovegetarianism was defined at the household level. Results: Compared with children of nonvegetarian mothers, children aged 24–59 mo of lactovegetarian mothers were 2.9 percentage points (95% CI: −4.0, −1.9) less likely to be stunted and children aged 6–23 mo were 1.6 points less likely to be wasted (95% CI: −3.0, −0.03), whereas children aged 6–23 mo with vegan mothers were 5.2 points more likely to be stunted (95% CI: 0.1, 9.4). When compared with nonvegetarian households, lactovegetarian households had better socioeconomic status and were more likely to consume dairy frequently. Children in nonvegetarian households consumed nondairy animal-sourced foods (ASFs) with relatively low frequency. The frequency of maternal dairy consumption was significantly associated with lower risks of child stunting and wasting. Conclusions: Anthropometric outcomes differed by maternal vegetarian status, which is itself strongly associated with socioeconomic position, location, religion, and caste.
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spelling CGSpace1427542025-02-24T06:46:25Z Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers Headey, Derek D. Palloni, Giordano child nutrition vegetarians stunting schoolchildren malnutrition nutrition mothers wasting disease (nutritional disorder) diet Background: India has high rates of child undernutrition and widespread lactovegetarianism. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine how nutrition outcomes varied among Indian preschool children in relation to the vegetarian status of their parents. Methods: The 2015–2016 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the 2011–2012 National Sample Survey (NSS) were used to explore associations between parental vegetarian status and child stunting and wasting at ages 0–59 mo and anemia at ages 6–59 mo. In the NFHS, self-reports on usual consumption of foods were used to classify maternal diets, whereas in the NSS lactovegetarianism was defined at the household level. Results: Compared with children of nonvegetarian mothers, children aged 24–59 mo of lactovegetarian mothers were 2.9 percentage points (95% CI: −4.0, −1.9) less likely to be stunted and children aged 6–23 mo were 1.6 points less likely to be wasted (95% CI: −3.0, −0.03), whereas children aged 6–23 mo with vegan mothers were 5.2 points more likely to be stunted (95% CI: 0.1, 9.4). When compared with nonvegetarian households, lactovegetarian households had better socioeconomic status and were more likely to consume dairy frequently. Children in nonvegetarian households consumed nondairy animal-sourced foods (ASFs) with relatively low frequency. The frequency of maternal dairy consumption was significantly associated with lower risks of child stunting and wasting. Conclusions: Anthropometric outcomes differed by maternal vegetarian status, which is itself strongly associated with socioeconomic position, location, religion, and caste. 2020-04-01 2024-05-22T12:11:00Z 2024-05-22T12:11:00Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142754 en https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz034.P10-032-19 Open Access American Society for Nutrition Headey, Derek D.; and Palloni, Giordano. 2020. Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers. Journal of Nutrition 150(6): 1579–1589. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa042
spellingShingle child nutrition
vegetarians
stunting
schoolchildren
malnutrition
nutrition
mothers
wasting disease (nutritional disorder)
diet
Headey, Derek D.
Palloni, Giordano
Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title_full Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title_fullStr Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title_full_unstemmed Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title_short Stunting and wasting among Indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
title_sort stunting and wasting among indian preschoolers have moderate but significant associations with the vegetarian status of their mothers
topic child nutrition
vegetarians
stunting
schoolchildren
malnutrition
nutrition
mothers
wasting disease (nutritional disorder)
diet
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142754
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