Background Child undernutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite different nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions implemented by the government. However, evidence regarding the burden and responsible factors is limited in the South Ari district. Hence, this study aimed to assess factors associated with wasting and stunting among children aged 06–59 months in the South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 11 to April 11, 2021, among 717 households with at least one child aged 06–59 months. Anthropometric measurements were taken using standard procedures and were converted to height for age Z score and weight-for-height using WHO Anthro software Version 3.2.2. Data were checked and entered into Epi-Data Version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS Version 25.0. Binary logistic regression analysis was fitted to identify predictors of wasting and stunting. A p-value < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Result The prevalence of wasting and stunting among children aged 06–59 months in the district was 9.1% (95% CI: 7.07%, 11.41%) and 59.97% (95% CI: 56.28%, 63.58%), respectively. Family size (8 and above) (AOR = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.31, 7.03), family size (5 to 7) (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.81), poor and medium wealth index (AOR = 3.69, 95% CI: 1.65, 8.26) and (AOR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.01, 5.16), insufficient maternal knowledge on child feeding practice (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.31, 5.07), presence of diarrhea in the past two weeks (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.85), non-exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.51, 4.65), and birth interval of < 24 months (AOR = 4.49, 95% CI: 2.40, 8.37) were factors significantly associated with wasting. Whereas, children in the age group of 24–59 months (AOR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.58, 3.16), non-exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.65), birth interval of fewer than 24 months (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.14), sub-optimal child dietary diversity score (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.22), being a non-beneficiary of productive safety-net program (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.95), and household food insecurity (AOR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.86, 3.64) were factors significantly associated with stunting. Conclusions Wasting and stunting were found to be key public health problems in the South Ari District. Hence, further interventions should consider strategies to enhance household food security and integration of productive safety net programs with primary health care services. Rigorous work is required in advocating and strengthening the provision of family planning services, child care, and integrated management of common childhood illnesses. Moreover, behavioral change communication is highly demanded to improve child feeding practices.

Background Household food insecurity is a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite the presence of various interventions implemented by the government. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the prevalence and responsible factors in Ethiopia, specifically in the South Ari district. This study, therefore, aimed to assess household food insecurity and associated factors in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was employed from March 11 to April 11, 2021, at South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 717 households. Data were checked and entered into Epi-Data V3.2., and exported to SPSS V25.0 for data exploration and analysis. Variables with a p-value <0.25 in bivariable logistic regression were candidates for multivariable logistic regression. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was fitted to determine factors associated with household food insecurity. Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistic was used to check model fitness and was satisfied. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine the strength of association. P-value <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Result The prevalence of household food insecurity was 44.8% (95% CI: 41.1%, 48.5%). Larger family size (8 and above) (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.30), high dependency ratio (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.67, 4.40), medium dependency ratio (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.62), poor wealth index (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.46), not using agricultural extension service (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.23), and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.87) were factors significantly associated with household food insecurity. Conclusions The findings of this study showed a significant proportion of households were food insecure in South Ari District. Larger family size, high and medium dependency ratio, poor wealth index, not using agricultural extension service, and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program were significant risk factors associated with household food insecurity. Therefore, rigorous work is highly needed to enhance income-generating activities, strengthen agricultural productivity, expand the productive safety net program, and limit population pressure through improved family planning use.

Background Undernutrition among adolescent girls is a major public health problem. Despite the adolescence period being a unique opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area information regarding the nutritional status of adolescent girls is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this identified gap. Objective To assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among rural adolescent girls in Daramalo district, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 672 adolescent girls from March 11 to April 11, 2021, using a systematic random sampling technique. Anthropometric measurements were analyzed by WHO Anthro plus software for Z-score. The data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed with SPSS window version 25.0. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with undernutrition. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to measure the strength of association and a p-value less than 0.05 was used to declare the level of statistical significance. Results The prevalence of thinness and stunting was 12.6% (95%CI: 10.3%, 15.2%) and 21.1% (95%CI: 18.3%, 24.3%), respectively. Large family size (AOR = 3.23; 95%CI: 1.87, 5.58), ≤ 2 meal frequency (AOR = 3.21; 95%CI: 1.59, 6.45), being non-menstruating (AOR = 4.24; 95%CI: 2.36, 7.61), poor and medium wealth index (AOR = 2.34; 95%CI: 1.15, 4.72) and (AOR = 3.16; 95%CI: 1.61, 6.21), and inadequate dietary diversity (AOR = 2.23; 95%CI: 1.34, 3.68) were factors significantly associated with an increased odds of thinness. Whereas, early adolescence (AOR = 1.54; 95%CI: 1.04, 2.28), large family (AOR = 1.85; 95%CI: 1.24, 2.77), separate decision making on nutrition service by father or mother, (AOR = 3.21; 95%: 1.68, 6.14) and (AOR = 3.01; 95%CI: 1.76, 5.15), inadequate dietary diversity (AOR = 2.12; 95%CI: 1.41, 3.19), and household food insecurity (AOR = 2.24; 95%CI: 1.48, 3.41) were factors significantly associated with an increased odds of stunting. Conclusions Stunting and thinness were found to be high in the study area. Future interventions and programs may consider strategies to improve dietary diversity, food security, wealth status, household decision-making power, meal frequency, and family size through increasing the awareness of the community on the intergenerational effect of adolescent undernutrition and by strengthening community-based adolescent nutrition programs.