Prevalence and Risk Factors of Child Malnutrition in Community Based Nutrition Program Implementing and Nonimplementing Districts from South East Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: The burden of malnutrition in Ethiopia is the second highest in sub Saharan Africa. According to the recently released Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey report of 2011, the prevalence of child stunting, underweight and wasting were 44% stunted, 10% wasted and 29% underweight respectively. Objectives: To determine the magnitude and risk factors of malnutrition among 6-59 months children from Community Based Nutrition Program implementing and nonimplementing districts from south east Amhara. Methodology: Descriptive community based, cross sectional study in which a total of 987 children (620 from Community Based Nutrition implementing and 367 from nonimplementing districts) were sampled. A structured questionnaire was administered to mothers or caregivers of the children. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard procedures. Nutritional status of the children was determined based on Z scores of < −2 or >= −2 Standard Deviation. Logistic regression was used to test significant associations between outcome and factor variables. Setting: Rural communities from Artuma Fursi and Kemissie districts. Results: A total of 987 children of 6-59 months of age and 987 mothers/caregivers had participated in the study, giving a response rate of 99%. The percentage of male and female children in CBNP district was 330 (53.2%) and 290 (46.8%) and that of non Community Based Nutrition Program (CBNP) district was 192 (52.3%) & 175 (47.7%) respectively. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 60.6%, 31.1%, 12.6% and 39.0%, 27.5%, 14.7% in CBNP and nonCBNP implementing districts, respectively. The possible risk factors for child B. Tariku et al. 2 malnutrition were area specific and different for the two districts. Conclusion: Child under nutrition is a serious public health problem in both districts, so that holistic programs need to be designed and implemented according to the guidelines.

Determinants of acute malnutrition among children aged 6–59 months in Public Hospitals, Oromia region, West Ethiopia: a case–control study

“…Non-exclusively breastfed children were about 2.5 times more likely to be acutely malnourished than their exclusively breastfed counter parts. This finding was in agreement with the study conducted in some parts of Ethiopia, China and Pakistan [23][24][25][26][27]. This probably due to introduction of other diets before the age of six months leads to increase chances of infection like diarrheal illness and pneumonia leading to malnutrition in these children.…”

Stunting, wasting and associated factors among children aged 6–24 months in Dabat health and demographic surveillance system site: A community based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia

“…Different studies also elicited the predictors of wasting, according to which sub-optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding [29, 30], poor wealth status [31] and maternal education [32], large families [33], diarrheal and respiratory tract morbidities [34, 35], unavailability of latrine [36] and rural residence [37] are associated with increased odds of wasting among children under-5 years.…”

“…Despite their increased and unique vulnerability, little known about the magnitude of undernutrition in this population and majority of the former local studies focused on investigating the problem among under five children [3, 17, 24, 32, 34, 36, 38]. Therefore, this study aimed to assess stunting, wasting and associated factors among children aged 6–24 months in Dabat Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site, northwest Ethiopia.…”

Undernutrition and associated factors among children aged 6&ndash;59 months living in slum areas of Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

“…In addition, poor maternal education, non-working status of the mother, poor socio-economic status, and separated marital status of mother and father are independent factors associated with stunting 12–15. Similarly, suboptimal breastfeeding, poor wealth status, poor maternal education, larger family size, diarrheal and respiratory tract morbidities, and unavailability of latrines are associated with increased odds of wasting among children aged under 5 years 16–21…”