Undernutrition and its determinants among children aged 6-59 months in Southern Ethiopia
Muluken Yigezu1, Taemyalewu Zenebe2, Tariku Deresse3
1Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dire Dawa University, P.O. Box: 1362, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. muluadambyigezu@gmail.com.
Insights
Undernutrition, including underweight, wasting, and stunting, is prevalent in Ethiopian children under five. Key factors include low birth weight, poor diet, incomplete vaccination, large family size, and short birth intervals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Malnutrition causes over one-third of deaths in children under five in low- and middle-income countries, with Ethiopia being a key area of concern.
- Undernutrition is largely preventable, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of undernutrition (underweight, wasting, stunting) among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia's Gedio zone.
- To identify key contributing factors associated with various forms of undernutrition in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A community-based cross-sectional study involving 403 children and their mothers selected via random sampling.
- Anthropometric measurements were collected and converted to Z-scores using WHO-Anthro software (version 3.2.2).
- Statistical analysis, including logistic regression, was used to identify significant associations between nutritional status and various factors.
Main Results:
- Prevalence rates were: underweight 19.7%, wasting 10%, and stunting 49%.
- Factors associated with underweight included low birth weight, non-diversified diet, and incomplete vaccination.
- Wasting was linked to large family size (≥5), infrequent meals (<3/day), and short birth intervals (<24 months). Stunting was associated with older age (≥24 months), non-diversified diet, short breastfeeding duration (<12 months), and low maternal BMI (<18.5).
Conclusions:
- Significant levels of underweight, wasting, and stunting exist among children in the Gedio zone, Ethiopia.
- Childhood undernutrition is multifactorial, influenced by birth weight, dietary diversity, vaccination status, family characteristics, breastfeeding practices, and maternal nutrition.
- Interventions promoting healthier feeding, dietary diversification, optimal breastfeeding, complete vaccination, adequate birth spacing, and improved maternal nutrition are crucial for reducing undernutrition.
Abstract:
Malnutrition is responsible for over one-third of deaths among children under the age of five in low-and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia, and is largely preventable. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of undernutrition and its contributing factors among children aged 6-59 months in the Gedio zone of Southern Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design was used, and data were collected from 403 children and their mothers selected through random sampling technique. Anthropometric measures were converted to Z-scores using WHO-Anthro version 3.2.2 software. The prevalence of underweight, wasting, and stunting were 19.7% (95% CI 16-24%), 10% (95% CI 7-13%), and 49% (95% CI 44-54%) respectively. Low birth weight (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI (1.585-4.895), feeding non-diversified diet (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI (1.036-3.497), and being unvaccinated (AOR: 2.0; 95%CI (1.013-4.197) were significantly associated with being underweight. Family size of ≥ 5 (AOR = 4.4, CI (1.274-5.059), meal frequency of < 3 times per a day (AOR = 2.3, CI (1.037-5.024), and index birth interval of < 24 months (AOR = 2.2, CI (1.015-4.843) were significantly associated with wasting. Similarly, children aged ≥ 24 months (AOR = 2.8, CI (1.769-4.474), feeding non-diversified diet (AOR = 1.8, CI (1.153-2.894), total duration of breast-feeding < 12 months (AOR = 4.0, CI (2.547-6.429), and mothers BMI below 18.5 (AOR = 2.2, CI (1.328-3.718) were identified as a predictors of stunting. The study revealed significant levels of undernutrition, including underweight, wasting, and stunting, among children in the study area. Factors such as birth weight, dietary diversity score, and vaccine status were found to be strongly linked to underweight. Additionally, living in a large family, meal frequency, and birth interval were significantly associated with wasting. The age of the child, duration of breastfeeding, dietary diversity score, and maternal BMI status were also significantly linked to stunting. To address this issue, the study recommends promoting healthier feeding practices, dietary diversification, optimal breastfeeding, complete vaccination, wider birth intervals, and improving maternal nutrition to reduce undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in the area. Implementing these measures could significantly improve the health of children in the study area.
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