Predictors of academic performance with due focus on undernutrition among students attending primary schools of Hawa Gelan district, Southwest Ethiopia: a school based cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: More than a quarter of children living in Sub-Saharan Africa are underweight. Nutritional deficiency in children increases the risk of infection and affects their mental development. However, there was scarcity of research findings that clearly indicate determinants of academic performance. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining predictors of academic performance with due focus on undernutrition among students attending primary schools. Methods: School based cross sectional study was conducted in February, 2016 among 630 randomly selected students attending primary schools in Hawa Galan woreda. Data were collected through parents/guardians interview, anthropometric measurement of children and school record review. Data were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed with SPSS Version 20. Anthropometric data were analyzed by WHO Anthro plus software. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to determine correlation between academic performance and undernutrition. Logistic regression analysis was also performed to assess predictors of academic performance and p < 0.05 was used to declare significant association. Result: Prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in this study were 20.6%, 12.7% and 14.3% respectively. This study found a significant correlation between underweight (r = 0.222, P = 0.040), stunting (r = 0.214, P = 0.034) and academic performance. Multiple logistic regression analysis also indicated that being female [AOR 1.48; 95% CI (1.16, 3.82

Nutritional Status and Educational Performance of School-Aged Children in Lalibela Town Primary Schools, Northern Ethiopia

“…The increase in household income may be linked to household food security and enhanced school attendance. This study finding was similar with a study done in Iran and Hawa Gelan, Southwest Ethiopia, where higher monthly house hold income was associated with student's academic performance [15,20]. This may be due to family income directly influencing the nutritional status of household members.…”

“…Children who have mothers with secondary and above educational status have more than two times higher English, Amharic, and average semester scores given that all of the other variables in the model are held constant. This study finding is similar with a study done in Morocco, Malaysia, Iran, and Hawa Gelan, Southwest Ethiopia [15,[19][20][21]. This signifies the importance of educating females in improving the child nutritional status as well as academic achievement.…”

“…Furthermore, moderate underweighted children have 68%, 64%, 66%, and 66% decreased odds of achieving high Science, Mathematics, Amharic, and English course scores compared to normal weighted children, respectively. This study finding was similar with a study done in Nuwara Eliya Educational Zone and Hawa Gelan, Southeast Ethiopia [10,15]. But the finding is different from a study done in Morocco that indicates WAZ did not have a significant association with academic achievement of primary school children [19].…”

“…Academic performance was defined as low score if less than 50%, medium score if 50%-75%, and high score if ≥75% [15]. Undernutrition was assessed according to the new WHO recommendation using stunting (height-for-age score (HAZ − score < −2SD), underweight is a weight for age (WAZ − score ≤ −2SD), and thinness (body mass index for age ðBAZÞ < −2SD.…”

“…Similarly, realities in the country indicates that low educational performance rate of children with stunting is 15.1% and 11.2% with nonstunted children [14]. So, undernutrition was pointed to be associated with low educational achievements in primary education [15]. Higher risk of grade repetition and dropout of schools among age category of 6-18 years is still because of stunting [12].…”