The effect of maternal and child factors on stunting, wasting and underweight among preschool children in Northern Ghana.

Maternal height associated negatively with stunting but not wasting. Factors that affect low height -for-age z-score (HAZ) may not necessarily be the same as stunting. Infant and child feeding practices as measured by dietary diversity score associated positively with weight-for-height Z-scores than length-for-age Z-scores of young children. Surprisingly, consumption of some specific food groups including, animal source foods, legumes, staples and eggs were associated with lower HAZ but with increased likelihood of higher WHZ among children 6-59 months.