TITLE:
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Stunting and Wasting among HIV-Infected Children Aged 6 Months to 14 Years Attending Care and Treatment Clinics in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Salma Mohammed Bajber, Grace Kinabo, Rune Philemon, Ali M. Ali, Aisa Shayo
KEYWORDS:
Paediatric HIV, Malnutrition, Nutritional Status, Minimum Meal Frequency, Dietary Diversity, Sub-Saharan Africa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.4,
July
28,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage has improved, malnutrition is still a common problem for children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV raises energy needs, makes it harder for the body to absorb nutrients, and leads to more frequent infections, which together worsen undernutrition. Understanding the burden and determinants of stunting and wasting in this population is critical for guiding targeted nutritional interventions and improving survival and quality of life. This study looked at how common stunting and wasting are, and what factors are linked to them, among HIV-infected children aged 6 months to 14 years who attend Care and Treatment Clinics (CTCs) in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania. Methodology: A facility-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from October 2024 to May 2025. A total of 255 HIV-infected children were consecutively recruited from all 10 CTCs in Moshi Municipality. Nutritional status was classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards. Logistic regression analyses were performed to quantify the associations between potential risk factors and the prevalence of each type of malnutrition. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistical significance. Results: A total of 255 HIV-infected children were enrolled, of which 53.3% were children aged 10 - 14 years, and the majority were female (52.5%). The prevalence of stunting and wasting was 40.8% and 14.1%, respectively. A total of 94.9% of children achieved minimum dietary diversity, whereas only 50.6% met the recommended minimum meal frequency. Multivariable analysis indicated that advanced WHO HIV clinical stage (III/IV) is strongly associated with both stunting and wasting. Children in stage III or IV have 11-fold higher odds of stunting compared to those in earlier stages (AOR = 11.0, p Conclusion: Stunting and wasting remain highly prevalent among HIV-infected children in Moshi Municipality. Advanced disease stage and inadequate meal frequency are the major modifiable drivers of undernutrition. There is an urgent need to integrate comprehensive nutrition assessment, counselling with emphasis on meal frequency, and support into routine paediatric HIV care services.