Revista de embarazo y salud infantil

Abstracto

Prevalence of Stunting and Associated Factors among First-Cycle Primary School Children in Asella Town Oromia, Regional State, South East Ethiopia

Melese Tadesse

Background: The estimated global prevalence of malnutrition among school-aged children as indicated by the prevalence of stunting is approximately 28.7% with a height-for-age Z-score<-2 standard deviations below the population median.

Objectives: To assess prevalence of stunting and associated factors among first-cycle primary school children in Asella town, Oromia regional state.

Methods: Schools based cross sectional study design was conducted among 762 public and private first-cycle primary schools students from October to January 2018 in Asella town. Multi-stage random sampling method was used to select study subjects and schools. Pretested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Epi info version 7 was used for data entry and SPSS version 21 and WHO Anthro Plus software were used for analysis. Bi-variate analysis were under taken in binary logistic regression to determine crude odds ratio of all risk factors independently and risk factors with p-value<0.25 were selected and re-entered to multiple variables logistic regression and analyzed again to determine the adjusted odds ratio. Then variables with p-value<0.05 were declared as risk factors of stunting.

Results: Prevalence of stunting is 19.4%, about, 4.4% are severely stunted and 15% moderately stunted. Children living in a family whose monthly income is between 1000 and 3000 ETB have 2.11 times more likely to be stunted than children who live in a family earning above 3000 ETB, (AOR: 2.11, 95% CI (1.04, 4.25). Children’s whose family size is seven and above are 2.82 times more likely to be stunted than children’s whose family size is less than seven. Children who breastfed for less than six months were 3.51 times more likely to be stunted than those who breastfed for more than six months.

Conclusion: Prevalence of stunting or chronic malnutrition in Asella town is low. There is significant association between monthly income, family size and duration of breast-feeding for less than six months and diary product consumption like milk with the prevalence of stunting. Nutrition programs that focus on improving childhood nutrition and promoting linear growth, conducting focused public education to increase using of family planning and exclusive breast feeding are needed to reduce and eradicate stunting among the community.