Household Food Security and Child Stunting in a Humanitarian Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, Tanzania

Background Stunting remains a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, with high prevalence in Tanzania. In humanitarian settings such as refugee camps, limited access to resources exacerbates the risk. This study assessed the association between household food security and stunting among children in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted from March to April 2024 among children aged 6–59 months and their mothers/caregivers. Multistage cluster sampling was used. Data were collected via the Kobo tool and analyzed using Stata 15. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression were performed, P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 420 children aged 6–59 months participated. The prevalence of stunting was 43%. Children from households with moderate and severe food insecurity had a higher prevalence of stunting ( aPR 4.51, 95% CI: 1.37–14.81; aPR 7.61, 95% CI: 2.23–15.99, respectively). Conversely, a lower prevalence of stunting was observed among children living with their mothers ( aPR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.33–0.94), those whose mothers or caregivers had attained secondary education ( aPR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.16–0.78) or higher education ( aPR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10–0.90), and those whose caregivers were married or cohabiting ( aPR 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20–0.81). Conclusion Stunting was more likely among children from food-insecure households, while higher maternal education and having married or cohabiting caregivers were protective. Efforts to reduce stunting should focus on improving household food security, promoting dietary diversity, and supporting female education.