Stunting coexisting with overweight in 2·0–4·9-year-old Indonesian children: prevalence, trends and associated risk factors from repeated cross-sectional surveys

OBJECTIVE: The persistence of undernutrition, along with overweight and obesity, constitute the double burden of malnutrition. The present study aimed to: (i) describe the prevalence and trends of concurrent stunting and overweight in Indonesian children; (ii) identify potentially associated risk factors; and (iii) determine whether stunted children are at greater risk of overweight compared with those of healthy height. DESIGN: A secondary data analysis of children aged 2·0–4·9 years in four cross-sectional studies of the Indonesian Family Life Survey. Children’s height and BMI Z-scores were calculated based on the WHO Child Growth Standards (2006). We defined ‘concurrent stunting and overweight’ as height-for-age Z-score <−2 and BMI Z-score >+1. Multivariate generalised linear latent and mixed models were used to determine associated risk factors. SETTING: Thirteen out of twenty-seven provinces in Indonesia. SUBJECTS: Children (n 4101) from four waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (1993–2007). RESULTS: There were inconsistent trends in the prevalence of concurrent stunting and overweight from waves 1 to 4. Children were more likely to be stunted and overweight when they were in the youngest age group (2·0–2·9 years), were weaned after the age of 6 months, had short-statured mothers or lived in rural areas. Stunted children were significantly more likely to be overweight than healthy-height children (OR>1) but did not differ significantly different across each wave (OR=1·34–2·01). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent stunting and overweight occurs in Indonesian children aged 2·0–4·9 years. Current policies and programmes need to be tailored for the management of this phenomenon.