Background: The authors examined factors associated with nutritional resilience/vulnerability among preschoolers
in the Gaza Strip in 2007, where political violence and deprivation are widespread.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2007 using random sampling of kindergartens in order to
select 350 preschoolers. Binary logistic regression was used to compare resilient (adequate nutrition) and
vulnerable (stunted) groups with those with moderate nutrition.
Results: Approximately 37% of the subjects demonstrated nutritional resilience and 15% were vulnerable. Factors
associated with nutritional resilience were child younger age, normal birth weight, actively hand- or spoon-feeding
when the child was below two years, and residential stability in the past two years. The only factor associated with
nutritional vulnerability was lower total score on the mother’s General Health Questionnaire, which we interpret as
a marker of maternal mental health.
Conclusions: Children with low-birth weight and older children had worse nutritional resiliency outcomes. Further,
poorer outcomes for children were associated with lower maternal mental health status, as well as increased family
residential instability. Our results add to the large literature on the pervasive effects of violence and instability on
children and underscore the need for resources for early intervention and for the urgent resolution of the
Palestinian and other armed conflicts.