Stunting reflects deficiencies in the socio-economic environment in diverse ethnic populations in Lao PDR

Background: From 1990 to 2019, stunting declined considerably from over 253 million children globally to 144 million, but it remained most prevalent in South Asia and even increased in Sub-Saharan Africa. From countries of continental Southeast Asia, Lao PDR still stands out with a relatively high proportion of stunted children aged 60 months and below. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the differences in stunting among diverse ethnicities in Lao PDR by using deficiencies in the length for age deficiencies in preschool children as a proxy indicator for their well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used utilizing secondary data from a previous survey conducted in the Bolikhamxai Province, Lao PDR. Basic anthropometric measurements and information about the mothers' socio-economic status were applied. Categories of the variables were taken from the original study. Differences in variables between ethnic groups were assessed through the chi-square- or Fisher exact test. Results: Separating the three ethnicities of Lao PDR showed that the rate of stunted children from Lao Sung, 43.9%, and Lao Teng, 39.3%, exceeded the proportion of stunting for Lao Lum, measuring 23%. Living in rural areas, mothers' lower educational background, economic status, and occupational activities contributed to higher stunting rates in the Lao Sung and Lao Teng groups. Conclusion: Health authorities in areas with low resources can detect and monitor deficiencies in the welfare of children in disadvantaged ethnicities by simple, conventional means for planning further action in problem-solving.