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A study of the association between improved sanitation facilities and children's height in Lesotho

D L Daniels1, S N Cousens, L N Makoae

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Improved sanitation, specifically latrine ownership, was linked to better child growth in Lesotho. Children in households with latrines showed reduced stunting and improved height-for-age, indicating sanitation

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Childhood undernutrition remains a significant global health challenge.
  • Sanitation is a key determinant of child health and development.
  • The impact of sanitation on anthropometric status requires further investigation in diverse settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between improved sanitation facilities and the anthropometric status of children under five years old in Lesotho.
  • To determine if latrine ownership influences chronic undernutrition indicators, such as stunting.
  • To compare the responsiveness of anthropometric status to sanitation improvements versus diarrhoea morbidity.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed, recruiting children from a diarrhoea morbidity study in Lesotho.
  • Height-for-age Z-scores were utilized as the primary indicator for chronic undernutrition.
  • Statistical analyses included logistic regression for stunting and linear regression for height-for-age Z-scores, controlling for confounding variables.

Main Results:

  • Children in households with latrines demonstrated a statistically significant association with improved attained height.
  • The odds of stunting were 18% lower in children from households with latrines, after adjusting for confounders.
  • A mean height-for-age Z-score 0.27 standard deviations higher was observed in children from households with latrines compared to those without.

Conclusions:

  • Improved sanitation facilities, specifically latrine ownership, are associated with better anthropometric status in children under five.
  • The findings suggest that improvements in sanitation can positively impact chronic undernutrition, similar to their effect on diarrhoea morbidity.
  • Investing in sanitation infrastructure may be a crucial strategy for enhancing child growth and development in resource-limited settings.

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