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Does birth season correlate with childhood stunting? An input for astrological nutrition

Melese Linger Endalifer1, Gedefaw Diress2, Bedilu Linger Endalifer3

  • 1Department of Human Nutrition, College of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia. melselinger@gmail.com.

BMC Pediatrics
|May 24, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Children born in Ethiopia

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Chronic malnutrition, particularly stunting, is a significant public health issue in Ethiopia, with prevalence exceeding 40% over the past three decades.
  • Despite numerous interventions, progress in combating childhood chronic malnutrition has been limited.
  • The impact of birth season on childhood malnutrition in Ethiopia remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the season of birth and childhood chronic malnutrition (stunting) in Ethiopia.
  • To identify potential predictors of stunting in Ethiopian children.
  • To inform nutritional interventions and policies by considering seasonal birth patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, encompassing 8,855 children.
  • Employed a two-stage stratified sampling technique for data collection.
  • Analyzed data using SPSS version 20, with descriptive statistics and binary/multivariable logistic regression models. A p-value < 0.05 and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to determine statistical significance.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of stunting in Ethiopian children was 38.7% (95% CI: 36.8, 40.6).
  • A significant association was found between the season of birth and stunting.
  • Children born during the spring season had a 16% lower odds of being stunted compared to those born in winter.

Conclusions:

  • Children born in the spring season exhibit a reduced likelihood of stunting, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the 'October effect'.
  • The precise biological mechanisms linking birth season to child anthropometric indicators require further elucidation.
  • Nutritional strategies and public health policies in Ethiopia should incorporate considerations of birth season.
Abstract

Keywords:
EthiopiaSeason of birthSpringStunting

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