Spatial distribution and geographical heterogeneity factors associated with poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A among children age 6–23 months in Ethiopia: Geographical weighted regression analysis

Abstract

Introduction Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in poor societies. Dietary consumption of foods rich in vitamin A was low in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution and spatial determinants of dietary consumption of foods rich in vitamin A among children aged 6–23 months in Ethiopia. Methods Ethiopian 2016 demographic and health survey dataset using a total of 3055 children were used to conduct this study. The data were cleaned and weighed by STATA version 14.1 software and Microsoft Excel. Children who consumed foods rich in vitamin A (Egg, Meat, Vegetables, Green leafy vegetables, Fruits, Organ meat, and Fish) at least one food item in the last 24 hours were declared as good consumption. The Bernoulli model was fitted using Kuldorff’s SaTScan version 9.6 software. ArcGIS version 10.7 software was used to visualize spatial distributions for poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A. Geographical weighted regression analysis was employed using MGWR version 2.0 software. A P-value of less than 0.05 was used to declare statistically significant predictors spatially. Results Overall, 62% (95% CI: 60.56–64.00) of children aged 6–23 months had poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A in Ethiopia. Poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A highly clustered in Afar, eastern Tigray, southeast Amhara, and the eastern Somali region of Ethiopia. Spatial scan statistics identified 142 primary spatial clusters located in Afar, the eastern part of Tigray, most of Amhara and some part of the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. Children living in the primary cluster were 46% more likely vulnerable to poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A than those living outside the window (RR = 1.46, LLR = 83.78, P < 0.001). Poor wealth status of the household, rural residence and living tropical area of Ethiopia were spatially significant predictors. Conclusion Overall, the consumption of foods rich in vitamin A was low and spatially non-random in Ethiopia. Poor wealth status of the household, rural residence and living tropical area were spatially significant predictors for the consumption of foods rich in vitamin A in Ethiopia. Policymakers and health planners should intervene in nutrition intervention at the identified hot spot areas to reduce the poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A among children aged 6–23 months.

Spatial distribution and Determinates of poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A among children aged 6–23 months in Ethiopia using data from Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2019: Spatial and Multilevel Analysis

“…This study's ndings were greater than those of the Kenya DHS 2014 (28%) (22) and Ghana (48%) studies (23).This disparity could be due to socio-demographic and cultural variances. Consistent with previous studies in Ethiopia (14), Tanzania (22) and China (23), animal source foods were the least consumed foods in the last 24 hours of the survey period. Shell sh intake was the least consumed food in the 24 hours leading up to the survey (2.67%), whereas egg consumption was the most consumed food among the study participants (15.5%).…”

“…Another study conducted in Ethiopia that used the EDHS 2011 data found that undernutration was highly clustered in four areas of Ethiopia, including Amhara and Afar (14,19).The spatial heterogeneity across different regions of Ethiopia might be due to socioeconomic status and demographic factors such as pastoralist regions (Afar and Somali) and the Amhara region (30.8%), low complementary feeding practices, lack of nutritional knowledge, social norms and beliefs, food preferences, and also accessibility and affordability of foods rich in Vitamin A, especially the high cost of animal source foods across these regions of Ethiopia (13).…”

“…In Ethiopia also vitamin A de ciency is a major public health problem because more than one -third (37.7%) of children had de ciency of serum retinol level, and also the prevalence of clinical vitamin A de ciency, Bitot's spot ranges from 0.8-1.46% and night blindness 1.2% (10)(11)(12). Studies in Ethiopia also showed that Consumption of animal source foods among children age 6-23 months were very low (13) and the prevalence of poor consumption of foods rich in vitamin A was high( 62.3%) (14).…”

Food consumption patterns in employees of Ethiopian institute of agricultural research

“…A comparable difference to this finding was observed in a previous study that revealed the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and animal products was increased in people with higher incomes than in those with lower incomes [ 5 , 55 ]. An earlier study in Ethiopia found that low-income households consumed significantly fewer fruits, vegetables, and animal-sourced foods [ 56 ].…”

Spatial distribution of vitamin A rich foods intake and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Ethiopia: spatial and multilevel analysis of 2019 Ethiopian mini demographic and health survey

“…Though different primary studies have been conducted to assess the nutritional status of children in Ethiopia, none of the previous studies explored the spatial distribution of vitamin A rich foods intake is inadequate, except on poor consumption of vitamin A-rich foods [ 27 ]. Hence, Exploring the spatial patterns and distributions of vitamin A-rich foods intake in the regions of Ethiopia is used for further understanding of where the intake of vitamin A-rich foods among children occurs in a specific location and helps for better nutritional interventions.…”