Background: Pregnant women and children are the most vulnerable groups to zinc deficiency. Despite the presence of few primary studies, studies that could provide strong evidence that would help policymakers to develop appropriate interventional strategies in addressing zinc deficiency among pregnant women and children are limited in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the national pooled prevalence and associated factors of zinc deficiency among pregnant women and children. Methods: We searched Pub Med, Scopus, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Google for studies reported on zinc deficiency and associated factors among pregnant women and children. Search terms were 'zinc deficiency', 'zinc status', 'associated factors', 'children', 'pregnant women', and 'Ethiopia' using the boolean operators 'OR' or 'AND'. Searches were using English language. A preferred reporting item for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist was used. Two authors independently reviewed the studies. The effect sizes of the meta-analysis were the prevalence of zinc deficiency and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of the associated factors. Finally, the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) version 3.3.07 was used for statistical analysis by applying the random-effects model and publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test. Results: Thirteen studies (7 among pregnant women having total participants of 2371 pregnant women and 6 among children with total participants of 5154 children) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Using the random-effects model, the pooled prevalence of zinc deficiency was 59.9% (95%CI: 51.9, 67.7%) and 38.4% (95%CI: 28.6, 49.4) among pregnant women and children, respectively. The associated factors for zinc deficiency among pregnant women were coffee intake (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =1.76), low intake of animal source foods (AOR = 2.57), and inadequate diet diversity (AOR = 2.12). Conclusion: Overall, zinc deficiency among pregnant women and children is a significant public health concern in Ethiopia. Promoting dietary modification to enhance the bioavailability of zinc, improving diet diversity, and consuming animal source foods would help in alleviating and/or minimizing the problem among the target groups. Zinc supplementation could also be considered for pregnant women and children.

Background Dietary related misconceptions during pregnancy affect the heath of mothers and their growing babies. Misconceptions vary from place to place and from community to community. Understanding of a given community’s food perceptions during pregnancy helps policy makers able to design cultural appropriate interventions. In Ethiopia, however, evidences on food beliefs and perceptions during pregnancy are limited. Therefore, this study is aimed at qualitatively assessing community food beliefs during pregnancy in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia. Methods We conducted 10 in-depth interviews (n = 10) and four focus group discussions (n = 32) among purposively selected community groups including pregnant mothers, religious leaders, and elders in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia. Data were transcribed word-for-word, translated into English, and uploaded into ATLAST ti version 7.5.1.6. Data were analyzed following the principles of thematic analysis. Line-by-line coding was applied to identify codes; identified codes were categorized based on their similarities and differences and themes were developed inductively. Results Three main themes were identified inductively; foods positively and negatively linked with pregnancy; perceived benefits and harms of alcoholic drinks during pregnancy; and religion and fasting. In this study, consumptions of animal source foods such as egg were discouraged because such foods were perceived to increase the risk of having big baby that could delay delivery. However, intakes of locally produced alcoholic drinks during pregnancy were encouraged by the local community. Furthermore, avoidance of animal source foods and meal skipping during religious fasting-periods were also common practices among pregnant mothers in the study area. Conclusions This study explored misconceptions on food intakes during pregnancy. Positive attitude towards intake of “soft” alcoholic drinks might result in alcohol related teratogenic effects. Restriction on the intakes of nutrient rich diets due to religious fasting and other misconceptions would lead to insufficient nutrient intake both to the mothers and their growing fetus. Culturally appropriate intervention to improve awareness on healthy dietary intake during pregnancy is needed.

Background Under-nutrition during pregnancy affects birth outcomes and neonatal outcomes. Worldwide, 20.5 million children were low birth weight, mainly in poor countries. However, there is no longitudinal-based evidence on the effect of under-nutrition during pregnancy on birth weight in Tigray regional state. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effect of under-nutrition during pregnancy on low birth weight in Tigray regional state. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study among consecutively selected 540 pregnant women attending antenatal care in hospitals from October 2019 to June 2020. Pregnant women with mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) < 23 cm were exposed and those with MUAC≥23 cm were unexposed. Data on socio-demographic, diet, hygiene and anthropometry measurements were collected using pretested and structured questionnaires. SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. A log-binomial model was used to estimate the adjusted risk ratio and its 95%CI of the risk factors for low birth weight. Multi-collinearity was checked using the variance inflation factor (VIF) at a cut-off point of 8 and there was no multi-collinearity. Result The overall incidence of low birth weight was 14% (95%CI: 11.1, 17.4%). The incidence of low birth weight was 18.4 and 9.8% among the exposed and unexposed women, respectively. The difference in low birth weight incidence between the exposed and unexposed groups was statistically significant (p-value = 0.006). The risk factors of low birth weight were maternal illiteracy (ARR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1.01, 3.3), low monthly family income < 50 US Dollar (ARR: 1.6, 95%CI: 1.07, 2.2), lack of latrine utilization (ARR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.28, 0.78), and diet diversity score < 5 (ARR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.05, 2.61). Conclusion Low birth weight was significantly higher among the exposed pregnant women. Maternal illiteracy, low monthly income, lack of latrine utilization, and low DDS were risk factors of low birth weight. It is then important to strengthen nutritional assessment and interventions during pregnancy, with a special attention for illiterate, and low monthly income pregnant women. Again, there has to be a promotion of latrine utilization and consumption of diversified diets.

Background In Ethiopia, there are primary studies on adolescent anemia with imprecise and inconclusive findings. Besides, there was no meta-analysis pooled the magnitude and associated factors of anemia among adolescent girls in Ethiopia. Estimating the pooled magnitude and associated factors of anemia among adolescent girls is helpful for evidence-based interventions in Ethiopia. Methods The authors used a preferred reporting item for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). We included articles and survey reports published until May 2021 using searching engines of Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. To assess the quality of studies, we used Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale for non-randomized. Two authors independently assessed the quality of the studies. We computed the pool magnitude and odds ratio of the associated factors with their 95%CI using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Publication bias assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test. Result In this review, we included a total of 15 studies with 9,669 adolescent girls. Using the random-effects model, the pooled magnitude of anemia among the Ethiopian adolescent girls was 19.1% (95%CI: 16.1%, 24.6%). The associated factors were attained menarche (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.96), ≥ 5 days of blood flow during menses (AOR = 6.21), food insecurity (AOR = 1.48), inadequate diet diversity score (AOR = 2.81), presence of intestinal parasite (AOR = 3.51), low body mass index (AOR = 2.49), and rural residence (AOR = 1.79). Conclusion The pooled magnitude of anemia among adolescent girls in Ethiopia was 19.1% depicting a mild public health problem; while attained menarche, ≥ 5 days’ blood flow during menses, food insecurity, inadequate diet diversity score, intestinal parasites, low body mass index, and rural residence were the associated factors. Hence, addressing health and nutrition wellness of adolescent girls should be center of concern in health, nutrition, agriculture, research, strategies and policies in Ethiopia.

Background Armed conflicts greatly affect the health, nutrition, and food security of conflict affected settings particularly children. However, no empirical data exist regarding context specific factors contributing towards acute malnutrition in the war-torn Tigray, Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to identify individual and community level factors associated with acute malnutrition among children aged 6–59 months from armed conflict affected settings of Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,614 children aged 6–59 months in Tigray, from July 15 to Aug 15, 2021. Study participants were selected using a two-stage random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data by interviewing mothers/caregivers. Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements were taken from upper left arm of the children using MUAC tapes. Multivariable multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with acute malnutrition. Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI were estimated to describe the strength of associations at p < 0.05. Results More than half (52.5%) of the sampled children were males in sex. Immediately after the first nine months into the conflict, the prevalence of severe, moderate, and global acute malnutrition was very high (5.1%, 21.8%, and 26.9%, respectively) in Tigray. The lowest and highest burden of child acute malnutrition was reported from Mekelle zone (13.3%) and Southeastern zone (36.7%), respectively. Individual-level factors such as older child age (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.18), female child sex (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.05, 1.480.95), Vitamin-A supplementation (AOR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.65), and history of diarrhea (AOR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.53) and community-level factors like unimproved drinking water source (AOR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.58), unimproved toilet facility (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.52), and severe food insecurity (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16. 2.07) were significantly associated with childhood acute malnutrition. Conclusions The burden of acute malnutrition is a severe public health problem in Tigray. To prevent the untimely suffering and death of children, regular nutrition screening, speedy, and appropriate referral of all malnourished children to nutritional services and large-scale humanitarian assistance including access to food; nutrition supplies; water, sanitation and hygiene supplies; and health care in a timely manner are required. In the prevailing armed conflict, these have been very difficult to achieve. Thus, immediate international intervention is needed.