Determinants of Underweight and Stunting among 6–59-months-old Indigenous Children in the Philippines

Data on the nutrition and health situation of indigenous people (IPs) across groups in the Philippines is limited. This study determined the factors associated with underweight (UW) and stunting of 6–59-mo-old indigenous children utilizing the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey data of the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute. The study participants were 1,173 indigenous people households and their 6–59-mo- old children covering 29 provinces and highly urbanized cities. Potential predictors of UW and stunting were examined using descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that indigenous children 6–59-mo-old living in food-insecure households, with an unimproved source of drinking water, and with inadequate riboflavin intake were more likely to become UW than their counterparts. Likewise, indigenous children belonging to food-insecure households, children who have not undergone newborn screening, those with inadequate energy intake, and vitamin A deficient children were more likely to become stunted than their counterparts. Policy actions should focus on improving the indigenous people’s household food security and source of drinking water, child’s nutrient intake, vitamin A status, and participation in child’s health and nutrition programs. Participation in a vitamin A supplementation program and strengthening backyard gardening to increase accessibility and use of vitamin A-rich foods may help improve the vitamin A status of a child. A follow-up study exploring the behavioral barriers to IP households’ participation in health and nutrition programs among children under five is recommended.