Socioeconomic conditions and other determinants of child heightin southern Brazil: a multilevel analysis

by Stark Andersson, Márcia Christina

A cross-sectional household population based study of height among 12-59 months children(n = 2632) was conducted in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Multilevel linear regression wasapplied to investigate the effect of socio-economic and demographic conditions, physical andsocial environment, and health conditions on children?s height, measured by the height for agez-scores from the median of the American standard NCHS. On average, children?s height was- 0.18 z score. Children?s height increased with the levels of maternal and paternal education,work qualification of the parents, family income per capita, better housing conditions,maternal age, birth intervals and birth weight. Average height decreased with the number ofunder-fives in household, hospitalization in the first two years of life and preterm birth. Thepositive effect of maternal education were twice in the areas of the city which were relativelymore deprived in housing quality in terms of building material, quality of construction, waterand electricity and sanitation infrastructure. The positive effect of work qualification of theparents was evident in the more deprived areas, but not in the better provided areas. Theresults suggest that the area of residence modifies the effects of socioeconomic conditions onchildren?s growth. Social policies and programmes that increase education and economicconditions of the families are needed. Housing and sanitation programmes are potentiallybeneficial to decrease the negative effect of social disadvantage on child growth