Risk Factors of Malnutrition Among Children in Southern Ethiopia
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Date
1998-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Using data collected in the Community and Family Survey of the Southern
Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region, this study estimates the level of child
malnutrition and identifies the factors associated with chronic malnutrition
among children in the five densely populated zones of the Region. A total of 850
children aged 3 to 36 months were included in the present study. Both bivariate
and multivariate techniques were employed in order to identify risk factors of
child malnutrition.
The results indicate that child malnutrition is among the most serious problems
of the study area where about 45% of the children stunted, 42% underweight
and 12% wasted. The search for the factors affecting long term nutritional status
point to both socio-economic and demographic factors. The study also
identified some child care related variables to be associated with chronic
malnutrition. Among the socio-economic factors; household economic status,
and women's education were important in explaining the variation in long-term
nutritional status of children. From the demographic variables included in the
analysis; age and sex of the child; and maternal age at delivery were associated
with stunting. Moreover, number of antenatal care visits the mother had during
pregnancy of the child and age at weaning are linked to chronic malnutrition.
Finally, the study recommended, among other things, the need for programs
related to income generating activities for poor households and family life
education including appropriate child care for women in reproductive age
group.
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Keywords
Children in Southern Ethiopia