The aim of this study was to identify nutritional factors and households characteristics
associated with child stunting, maternal overweight and the familial coexistence of
both types of malnutrition. In Guatemala, 2000, with nationally representative data,
we selected 2261 households with at least one child aged 12-60 months and his/her
mother. Nutritional status was assessed in children (e.g., stunting as height-for-age
Z-score<-2) and mothers (e.g., overweight as body mass index > or =25 kg/m(2)) and
identified the presence of both, child stunting and maternal overweight in the same
household (SCOM). With logistic regression models we assessed the association of the
malnutrition indicators with individual and household socio-economic and health characteristics.
SCOM was identified in 18% of households. Socio-economic status (SES) of SCOM households
was significantly lower than SES of households with non-stunted children. SCOM households,
compared to those with normal-stature children and normal weight mothers, were more
likely to have mothers of short stature (adjusted odds ratio-OR+/-95% CI=3.1 (2.1-4.7)),
higher parity (1.2 (1.1-1.3)), currently working (1.7 (1.1-2.6), and self-identified
as indigenous (2.0 (1.3-3.1)). Factors associated with stunting in children such as
poverty, maternal short stature and indigenousness, were predictors of SCOM. These
findings support the notion that SCOM is an extension of the malnutrition spectrum
in the most disadvantaged population groups in countries that are in the middle of
their nutrition transitions such as Guatemala. At the same time it revealed that these
populations are already in the stage of chronic, nutrition related diseases associated
with less physical activity and more access to highly processed foods of low cost,
high dietary energy and low nutrient density in important population groups. The challenge
for the decision makers and service deliverers is to guide SCOM households to deal
equally with both extremes of the malnutrition continuum.
2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.