Comparison of Under Nutrition Among 6–59 Month Children of Food Secure and Insecure Households in Artumafursi District, Oromiya Special Zone, Amahara Region, Ethiopia, 2016

Abstract

Background: Under nutrition remains one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children under-five years of age throughout the world. Objective: This study was aimed at comparing the magnitude of under nutrition among children of 6–59 months of age of food secure and insecure households in Artumafursi district, South East Amarha, Ethiopia. Methods: Community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 1078 children from March to June 2016. Systematic Random Sampling technique was used to pick the study subjects. Data were entered to EPI info and ENA for SMART software; and transferred to SPSS version-20 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis model was used. Results: So, the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were (57.9 %, 62%), (36.5%, 43%) and (12.6%, 16.5%) from the children of food secure and insecure households, respectively. For this severe magnitude of under nutrition, more than fourteen possible causes were identified in both the food secure and insecure households. Conclusion and Recommendation: Even though the nutritional outcome of children from food secure households was found to be better than those of food insecure households; under nutrition is still rampantly high in both the comparative groups. Hence unconditional intervention of nutrition specific and sensitive measures is crucial to the community there.

Keywords: nutritional status, food security, food insecurity, children

Cite this Article

Zewdu W, Khasay A, Berhe G. Comparison of Under Nutrition Among 6–59 Month Children of Food Secure and Insecure Households in Artumafursi District, Oromiya Special Zone, Amahara Region, Ethiopia, 2016. Research & Reviews: Journal of Medicine. 2018; 8(2): 12–22p.