UNDERNUTRITION AND ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG CHILDREN IN SEBETA PERI-URBAN AREAS, OROMIA SPECIAL ZONE SURROUNDING ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

*Abebe Haile and Zeritu Nigussa

ABSTRACT

Child undernutrition is one of the most serious public health problems in Ethiopia. Hence, the study was aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight) and identify the major associated factors of nutritional status of under-five children in Sebeta Peri-urban areas of Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data by using structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurement from participaters of 368 households. The data was analysed using SPSS version 20 and anthropometric measurements were converted into Z-scores by WHO Anthro version 3.2.2. The findings of the analysis indicated that about 30.2%, 27.5% and 13.1% of the under-five children in the study area were stunted, underweight and wasted, respectively. In order to investigate the determinants of child undernutrition Bivariate and Multivariate logistic regression models were applied. The result of multivariate logistic regression model revealed that female children were more affected by stunting problem compered to male children. In addition to this, maternal education was negatively associated with stunting; while, age of child, lack of farm land, and diahrrea occurrence were found to be positively associated with stunting. Whereas, mother’s height, mother’s BMI, household’s average monthly income, no exposure to urban waste disposal were negatively associated with underweight. Where as, lack of adequate information on child care, age of child and diarrhea occurrence were positively associated with underweight among under five children. The positive predictors or determinants of wasting were number of under-five children in the household, lack of adequate information on child care, lack of colustrums feeding (immediately within the first three to four days after birth) and exposure to urban waste disposal.The study area child undernutrition was high which needs timely malti-sectoral intervention by concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Keywords: Undernutrition, Peri-urban, Under-five, Prevalence, Determinants, BMI.