Prevalence of Stunting and Associated Factors Among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Merhabete Woreda North Showa, 2017
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Date
2017-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: - Stunting reflects chronic under nutrition during the most critical periods of
growth and development in early life. Children whose height-for-age Z-score was below
minus two standard deviations from the median of the World Health Organization reference
population were considered short for their age (stunted), or chronically malnourished.
Children who were below minus three standard deviations were considered severely stunted.
Height-for-age, therefore, represents the long-term effects of malnutrition in a population and
was not sensitive to recent, short-term changes in dietary intake.
Objectives: - The study was aimed to assess the magnitude of stunting and associated factors
among children aged 6-59 month in Merhabeta woreda, North Shewa, Ethiopia.
Methods: - A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 children
aged between 6-59 months. Systematic random sampling technique was employed to select
study subject. Interviewer administered structured questionnaires was used to collect data.
The data was entered using EPI INFO version 3.5.1 and analysis was done by SPSS version
20 and ENA, 2007software for anthropometric calculation. Bivariate and multivariable
logistic regression analysis was used. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05 and
95%CI.
Result: - The overall magnitude of stunting was 52.4 95%CI (47.6-57.2). Among the total
number of stunted children, 110(51.2%) were female. In multiple logistic regression analysis
factors that were significantly associated with stunting were, sex of the child, age of the child,
educational status of the mother, ANC visits of the mother, didn’t have timely initiation of
complementary feeding and birth weight Children within age group 24-59 months were 4
times more likely to be stunted AOR (95%CI) 4(1.88-8.42), children who did not timely
initiation of complementary feeding practice were AOR (95%CI (2.4(1.27-4.61) and
0.01(1.27-4.61) respectively. and mothers who had no ANC follow up were 3.2 times more
likely to be stunted than mothers had for tines ANC follow up AOR (95%CI) 3.2(1.405-
7.100).
Conclusion: - Stunting was a highly prevalent problem in the study area with child’s age.
Mother’s education, age of complimentary food started, size at birth, sex of children, age and
antenatal care follow up were found to be associated factors of stunting.
Recommendation: - in the study area, need to plan nutrition interventions to effectively
address the nutritional conditions with participation of stakeholders and community at large
Key Words: Stunting, Healthcare, Diet, Children, Merhabete
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Keywords
Stunting, Healthcare, Diet, Children