जर्नल ऑफ़ पोषण और खाद्य विज्ञान
खुला एक्सेस

अमूर्त

Prevalence of Acute Malnutrition (Wasting) and Associated Factors among Preschool Children Aged 36-60 Months at Hawassa Zuria, South Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross Sectional Study

Tsedeke W, Tefera B and Debebe M

Background: In Ethiopia, child malnutrition is one of the most serious public health problem and the highest in the World. Many studies have focused on the relationship between wasting and its determinant factors. However, it has not been exhaustively documented in the study area.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of acute malnutrition and its associated factors in children aged 36-60 months in Hawassa, South Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to March, 2012 using two stage cluster sampling technique was used to select representative samples of 358 preschool children’s at three kebeles of the study area. A structured, validated and pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain information on socioeconomic characteristics. Weight-for-height (WFH) was used to assess nutritional status by taking height and weight measurements using standard procedures. Dietary intake was assessed using 24 hour dietary diversity recall. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) windows version 16 was used to analyze the data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression was used to determine association between acute malnutrition and predictors of variables. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of.
Results: The prevalence of acute malnutrition (wasting) was 28.20%. The prevalence of wasting was significantly higher among female children (31.10%) than male children (24.20%). Prevalence of wasting was greatest among children aged between 48-60 months (35.6%). Binary logistic regression revealed that wasting was significantly associated with poor /lower wealth rank households’ socio-economic conditions (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=4.41 [95% CI: 2.94-8.45]). Those children between 36-47 months of age were 2.87 times more likely to be wasted than 48-60 months age (AOR=2.87 [95% CI: 1.73-4.77].
Conclusion: The magnitude of acute malnutrition was high. It mainly indicates that low family socioeconomic status and aged between 36-47 months was an important predictor of acute malnutrition (wasting). Thus, especial attention should be given for intervention on causes of acute malnutrition among preschool children.