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Undernutrition and associated risk factors among school age children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Dawit Degarege1, Abraham Degarege2,3, Abebe Animut4

  • 1Lia Foundation, 1695, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. dawitdegarege@gmail.com.

BMC Public Health
|April 17, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Child undernutrition is prevalent in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, affecting 31% of school-aged children. Key factors include male gender, large family size, and low meal frequency, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Child undernutrition presents diverse and dynamic challenges, necessitating ongoing research into its determinants for effective interventions.
  • Assessing the current prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition in children is crucial for developing targeted public health strategies.
  • The study focuses on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a region where understanding local nutritional challenges is paramount.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of undernutrition among school-aged children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • To identify key factors associated with undernutrition in this population.
  • To inform policy and intervention strategies for improving child nutrition.

Main Methods:

  • A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted involving 459 school-aged children and their caregivers in Lideta sub-city, Addis Ababa.
  • Participants were recruited using a multi-stage simple random sampling technique.
  • Data collection involved anthropometric measurements (height and weight) of children and interviews with caregivers regarding associated factors.

Main Results:

  • Overall undernutrition prevalence was 31%, with 19.6% stunted and 15.9% underweight.
  • Significant associations with undernutrition included being male, higher birth order, larger family size, infrequent meals, and mud flooring.
  • Underweight risk increased with age, birth order, family size, and lack of handwashing facilities; maternal age (20-30 years) was protective.

Conclusions:

  • Undernutrition remains a significant public health issue among school-aged children in Addis Ababa's Lideta sub-city.
  • Nutrition policies must explicitly include school-aged children.
  • Implementation of screening programs and targeted interventions is recommended for this demographic.
Abstract

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