Türkiye'de Erken çocukluk döneminde (0-5 yaş) Bodurluk ve obezite eğilimleri (2008-2018/2022) ve yoksullukla ilişkili sosyoekonomik belirleyiciler
4th international multidisciplinary student congressin the light of science, Bursa, Türkiye, 7 - 09 Kasım 2025, ss.78-89, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
- Basıldığı Şehir: Bursa
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.78-89
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Trakya Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
ABSTRACT Introduction and Aim: Nutritional status is vital for children's growth, health, and development processes. Malnutrition (poor nutrition) can manifest as wasting, stunting, or overweight/obesity due to imbalance, deficiency, or excess in nutrient intake. Approximately 25% of children aged 0-17 in Turkey live in poor households. The main aim of this review is to analyze the trends in stunting (chronic undernutrition) and overweight/obesity statuses among children under 5 and school-age children (7-8 years) in Turkey during the period covering 2008-2022, and to examine the effect of socioeconomic determinants and poverty risk on these nutritional indicators. Method: Three main data sources were used to monitor changes in children's nutritional indicators Early Childhood Period (0-5 Years): Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 2008, 2013, and 2018 data. School-Age Period (7-8 Years): Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSITUR) 2013, 2016, and 2022 observation data. Poverty Trends: Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) Income and Living ConditionsSurvey (ILCS) 2007 and 2017 micro data sets. Definitions: Stunting is defined as the Height-for-Age (HFA) Z-score being below -2standard deviations (-2 SD); Overweight/Obesity is defined as the Weight-for-Height (WFH) or BMI-for-Age (BFA) Z-score being above +2 standard deviations (+2 SD). Findings A. Nutritional Trends (2008-2022) 1. Improvement in Stunting (0-5 Years): The prevalence of stunting among children under 5 has shown a stable decrease; while it was 12% in TDHS 2008, this rate decreased to 6% according to TDHS 2018 data. 2. Decrease in Overweight (0-5 Years): The rate of overweight/obesity among children under 5 dropped from 11% in 2013 to 8% in 2018. The percentage of acute undernutrition (wasting) generally remained low (rising from 1% to 2%). 3. School-Age (7-8 Years) Data (COSI-TUR): The total prevalence of overweight and obesity, after peaking at 24.5% in 2016, decreased to 22.4% in 2022. The rate of stunting in school-age children also maintained a decreasing trend (a drop from 2.4% to 1.4%). B. Socioeconomic Polarization Nutritional problems are polarizing in opposite directions according to socio-economic indicators. This situation indicates that Turkey is facing the "double burden of malnutrition". Stunting and Poverty: Stunting is a problem of the population with low socio-economic status. As the mother's education level decreases, the stunting rate increases (in TDHS 2018, among uneducated mothers 9%, among high school+ mothers 4%). The highestprevalence of stunting is observed in the Southeastern and Northeastern Anatolia regions. Overweight/Obesity and Wealth: Overweight/obesity is a problem of the population with high socio-economic status. In households with the highest wealth levels, this rate can reach up to 16%. Children whose mothers are more educated have a higher tendency to be overweight (in TDHS 2018, 9% among high school+ mothers, 5% among uneducated mothers). This problem is more common in urban and Western regions. C. Poverty Trends The rate of absolute child poverty has shown a significant decrease over a ten-year period (while it was 33.2% in 2007, it was 20.5% in 2017). However, an increase in the number of children living in the household raises the likelihood of child poverty. The increase in the educational level of the head of household is an important factor reducing the likelihood of children being poor. Conclusion and Recommendations: Turkey has recorded a polarized improvement in child nutritional indicators between 2008 and 2022. The significant decrease in stunting rates has particularly paralleled the decrease in absolute poverty rates. However, stunting remains a chronic problem for poor segments, such as low-educated mothers and the Southeastern/Northeastern Anatolia regions. Overweight and obesity, on the other hand, are concentrated in populations with high wealth levels. The low perception among families regarding their children's actual weights (consistency below 50%) constitutes acritical barrier in the fight against obesity. Recommendations 1. Multi-Sectoral Support Programs: There is an urgent need for multi-sectoral social and health support programs that target existing socio-economic inequalities in child health and nutrition and combat the double burden of malnutrition. 2. Targeted Undernutrition Intervention: Structural policies aimed at increasing mother's education level and household wealth should be prioritized in rural areas, especially the Southeastern/Northeastern Anatolia regions, where stunting is highest. 3. Obesity Awareness Education: Intensive awareness campaigns should be conducted to combat the problem of parents misperceiving their children's overweight or obese status. Training based on accurate anthropometric assessment results should be provided tofamilies. 4. Child-Centered Approach in Combating Poverty: Considering that the number of children living in the household increases the risk of child poverty, income support and educational opportunities for households with children should be strengthened.
Keywords: Stunting, Obesity, Overweight, Malnutrition, Socioeconomic Determinants, Child Poverty, TDHS, COSI-TUR, Double Burden of Malnutrition