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Growth and malnutrition in Ethiopia

Gian Franco De Stefano1, Gertrud Hauser, Josef Neumüller

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. humanbiology@bio.uniroma2.it

Collegium Antropologicum
|December 2, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Child malnutrition in Ethiopia is a significant concern, with high percentages of children exhibiting abnormal height for age, weight for age, and weight for height measurements. These anthropometric indicators highlight widespread nutritional challenges impacting child well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Anthropometric parameters like height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height are crucial for assessing child well-being.
  • Malnutrition remains a critical issue in many developing countries, necessitating regular monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the nutritional status of Ethiopian children aged 2-10 years using standard anthropometric indicators.
  • To identify the prevalence of malnutrition based on height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height centiles.

Main Methods:

  • Data collected from urban and rural areas of Ethiopia between 1992-1993.
  • Analysis of anthropometric measurements including height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height.
  • Comparison of measurements against the 5th centile to identify undernutrition.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 15% of children were below the 5th centile for weight-for-height.
  • About 53% of children fell below the 5th centile for height-for-age.
  • Around 45% of children were below the 5th centile for weight-for-age.

Conclusions:

  • The study reveals a high prevalence of malnutrition among Ethiopian children aged 2-10 years.
  • Stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age) are particularly widespread, indicating chronic and acute malnutrition.
  • Urgent public health interventions are needed to address the nutritional deficiencies in this vulnerable population.

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