TY - JOUR
T1 - Nutritional status of children aged 0–60 months in two drought-prone areas of Ethiopia
AU - Beyene, Shimelis
AU - Willis, Mary S.
AU - Mamo, Martha
AU - Legesse, Belaineh
AU - Regassa, Teshome
AU - Tadesse, Tsegaye
AU - Wolde-Hawariat, Yitbarek
AU - Roslan, Nur Firyal
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Author(s). Co-published by NISC Pty (Ltd) and Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Objectives: A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among children under five in two drought-prone areas in Ethiopia. Study design and setting: Through a cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach, data were analysed using multistage random sampling methods. Study subjects and outcome measures: Data were collected on socioeconomic factors, demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements from 350 households. Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) z-scores of 304 children, aged 0–60 months, were calculated using the WHO Anthro software. Children with z-scores of less than −2 standard deviations (SDs) for HAZ, WHZ and WAZ were classified as stunted, wasted and underweight respectively. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation and regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between independent variables and stunting and underweight. Results: Prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight were 49.4%, 13.7% and 37.1% respectively. Among independent variables tested, agroecology was significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.012) and underweight (p < 0.001), while livestock holding was significantly correlated with stunting (p = 0.008) and underweight (p = 0.012). Access to irrigation was also significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.028) and underweight (p = 0.016). However, the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was not significantly associated with household size, landholdings or frequency of sickness. Conclusions: The prevalence of undernutrition within the study areas was higher than the national average for Ethiopia. Lowland areas exhibited the highest rates of undernutrition; consequently, interventions that include the enhancement of livestock holdings and access to irrigation should include agroecological factors in an effort to reduce childhood undernutrition.
AB - Objectives: A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among children under five in two drought-prone areas in Ethiopia. Study design and setting: Through a cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach, data were analysed using multistage random sampling methods. Study subjects and outcome measures: Data were collected on socioeconomic factors, demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements from 350 households. Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) z-scores of 304 children, aged 0–60 months, were calculated using the WHO Anthro software. Children with z-scores of less than −2 standard deviations (SDs) for HAZ, WHZ and WAZ were classified as stunted, wasted and underweight respectively. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation and regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between independent variables and stunting and underweight. Results: Prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight were 49.4%, 13.7% and 37.1% respectively. Among independent variables tested, agroecology was significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.012) and underweight (p < 0.001), while livestock holding was significantly correlated with stunting (p = 0.008) and underweight (p = 0.012). Access to irrigation was also significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.028) and underweight (p = 0.016). However, the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was not significantly associated with household size, landholdings or frequency of sickness. Conclusions: The prevalence of undernutrition within the study areas was higher than the national average for Ethiopia. Lowland areas exhibited the highest rates of undernutrition; consequently, interventions that include the enhancement of livestock holdings and access to irrigation should include agroecological factors in an effort to reduce childhood undernutrition.
KW - Ethiopia
KW - children
KW - stunting
KW - under five
KW - undernutrition
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U2 - 10.1080/16070658.2019.1612652
DO - 10.1080/16070658.2019.1612652
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85067002198
SN - 1607-0658
VL - 33
SP - 152
EP - 157
JO - South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 4
ER -