Socioeconomic Determinants of Stunting Among Children Under Five in Adamawa State: A Household-Level Analysis

This study conducts a household-level analysis of the socioeconomic determinants of stunting among children under five years of age in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. Stunting, reflecting chronic undernutrition and impaired linear growth, affects approximately 37 percent of children in North East Nigeria, with Adamawa among the most affected states. The study employs a cross-sectional analytical design, targeting 400 households with children under five in Yola North and Gombi local government areas, selected through multistage sampling. Anthropometric measurements, household surveys, and dietary recall data were used for data collection. Objectives include determining the prevalence of stunting, identifying key socioeconomic determinants including income, maternal education, sanitation, and dietary diversity, and quantifying their relative contributions using multivariate modelling. Logistic regression, chi-square, and structural equation modelling are the primary analytical methods. The UNICEF Conceptual Framework for Undernutrition anchors the study, integrating immediate, underlying, and basic causes of child growth failure. Recent literature from North East Nigeria confirms that maternal education, household sanitation, and dietary diversity are the most powerful predictors of stunting prevalence. Findings are expected to fill a specific evidence gap regarding Adamawa's stunting determinants and inform targeted social protection programming. Recommendations address the Adamawa State Ministry of Women Affairs, UNICEF, and nutrition education practitioners. Keywords: stunting, children under five, socioeconomic determinants, household analysis, Adamawa State.