Background Majority of this world is concerned by malnutrition. Ethiopia is one of the Sub Saharan African countries known by poverty, childhood diseases, high mortality and poor infrastructures and technology. The study aimed to examine differences within individuals and between clusters in nutritional status of under-five children and to identify socioeconomic factors using adequate nutrition of children in Ethiopia. Method: Data was obtained from Ethiopian 2019 Mini Demographic and Health Survey surveyed by Ethiopian Public Health Institute. A weighted sub- sample of 8768 under-five children was drawn from the dataset. Spatial statistics was used to analysis spatial variations of malnutrition of children in clusters of regional areas of Ethiopia. Multilevel modeling was used to look at demographic, socioeconomic factors at individuals and clusters levels. Result At national level the proportion of stunting, underweight and wasting among under-five children were 39.5 percent, 29.8 percent and 15.4 percent respectively. The Global Moran Index’s value for children malnutrition result in Ethiopia was (for stunting I = 0.204, P-value = < 0.0001, for underweight I = 0.195, P-value = < 0.0001 and for wasting I = 0.152, P-value = < 0.0001). Spatial variability of malnutrition of under-five children across the clusters of Ethiopia observed. Result of heterogeneity between clusters obtained was {X}^{2}=147.25, {X}^{2}=211.43 and {X}^{2}=201.43 respectively for stunting, underweight and wasting with P = < 0.0001 providing evidences of variation among regional clusters with respect to the status of nutrition of under-five children. Multilevel model result revealed that high differences of malnutrition in individual households and regional clusters in the under-five children in Ethiopia. Conclusion The model showed that there were spatial variations in malnutrition among clusters in Ethiopia. Child age in month, breast feeding, family educational level, wealth index, place of residence, media access and region were highly significantly associated with childhood malnutrition. Inclusion of explanatory variables in multilevel model has shown that a significant impact on variation in malnutrition among individual households and regional clusters. Accessible resources, promoting education, use media to expand activities regarding nutritional and health services and through health workers and health institutions in Ethiopia is significant.

Purpose This study aims to examine the differences within individuals and clusters in nutritional status and identify socioeconomic factors in the nutritional status of under-five children in Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach A weighted sub-sample of 5,270 under-five children was drawn from the under-five children data set of the Ethiopian 2019 Mini Demographic and Health Survey. Multilevel modeling was used to look at the association between the nutritional status of children with predictors. Findings The proportion of stunting, underweight and wasting among under-five children were 39.3%, 28.6% and 16.3%, respectively. The observed Global Moran Index’s value for child malnutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight) prevalence in Ethiopia were I = 0.204 for stunting, I = 0.152 for wasting and I = 0.195 for underweight at p = 0.000 was statistically significant indicating that spatial variability of malnutrition of under-five children across survey clusters and regions was observed. Moreover, the result of heterogeneity between clusters obtained for stunting, underweight and wasting was significant providing evidence of variation among regional clusters concerning the status of nutrition of under-five children. Child’s age in months, breastfeeding, family educational level, wealth index, place of residence, media access and region were highly significantly associated with childhood malnutrition. The inclusion of the explanatory variables has shown a significant impact on the variation in malnutrition among regions. Practical implications Enhance education, expanding the activities regarding nutritional and health services using media, health extension workers, and health institutions. Originality/value The study provides the malnutrition situation status of Ethiopian country when the survey carried out.