UNDERNUTRITION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS AGED 14-19 YEARS AT FITCHE TOWN, NORTH SHOA ZONE, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is commonly regarded as a relatively healthy period of the life cycle and less vulnerable to infection than they were at a younger age. This may contribute to them being neglected. Even though several studies have done on the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among children but the critical role of adolescent undernutrition in the intergenerational cycle of growth failure has not well addressed in this study area. Therefore, the study was done to fill the gap of magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among school adolescents in Fitche Town, Central Ethiopia. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess undernutrition and associated factors among school adolescents aged 14-19 years at Fitche Town, Central Ethiopia 2017. Methods and materials: Institutional based cross sectional study was applied among randomly selected 724 school adolescents. Data on background variables were collected using pre-tested self- administered questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements had taken using Portable Height-weight Scale to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.1 kg by ten data collectors of diploma nurses. Collected data were entered into Epi Data version 3.0 and exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Adolescent was identified as stunted if height-for-age Z score is <−2 and thin if weight -for- height to age Z scores< - 2 standard deviations of the median of the reference population after anthropometric measurements were analyzed by WHO Anthro plus version 1.0.4. Bi-variable logistic regression analyses were used to see the association between outcome variable and each explanatory variable. Odds ratio along with 95% CI were estimated to identify factors associated with undernutrition using multivariable logistic regression. Statistical significance was declared at p-value less than 0.05. Results of the study were presented by using frequencies, percentages, numerical summary measures, tables, and graphs. Result: The prevalence of stunting and thinness were found to be 11.2%, 95% CI: (9.0 %, 13.5%) and 9.8%, 95% CI: (7.7%-12%) respectively. Aadolescents’ mother being illitrate [(AOR= 2.84; 95% CI: 1.25 – 3.74)], low frequency of eating meat [(AOR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.24 – 7.49)] and having infection [(AOR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.25 – 3.72)] were significantly associated with stunting. Being orphan [(AOR; 2.04; 95% CI: (1.05 – 3.96)], lower frequency of consuming milk and milk products [(AOR; 1.61; 95% CI: (1.10 – 12.07)] and their DDS [(AOR: 6.43; 95% CI: (3.04 – 13.61)] were significantly associated with thinness. Conclusion: The magnitude of undernutrition is high. Stunting is continued to be the adolescent health problem of the area.Thinness is at warning sign which require monitoring. Nutrition xiii transition is also emerging. Mother being illiterate, low frequency of eating meat, and having infection were significantly associated with stunting. Being orphan, lower frequency of consuming milk and milk products; and adolescents’ low DDS were significantly associated with thinness. Thus, increasing the awareness on diversified nutritious food, personal hygiene and sanitation, and infection prevention should be promoted.