UNDERNUTRITION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN HODAN DISTRICT, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

Abstract

Background: Adolescent undernutrition is global public health issue, especially in developing countries like Somalia. Although adolescence is considered as a second window of opportunity to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition, small attention is given to adolescents. Evidence regarding adolescent undernutrition is limited in Somalia, particularly in the study area- Hodan District of Mogadishu. Objective: To assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among secondary school adolescents in Hodan District Mogadishu Somalia from July 10 to August 10, 2024. Methods: A school based cross-sectional study was carried out among, 470 randomly selected adolescents from public and private secondary schools in Hodan District of Mogadishu. Data was collected using pretested and structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurement was used to assess nutritional status of adolescent. Body mass index for age and height for age z scores were calculated and a value below -2 was used to define thinness and stunting, respectively. The characteristics of adolescents are described using frequencies, percentages and appropriate summary measures. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with adolescent undernutrition (thinness and stunting). Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value<0.05 Results: The study showed that 28.9% [95% CI = 24.7%, 33.2%] of the adolescents were stunted, while 24.1% [95% CI = 20.1%, 28.2%] were thin. Being male adolescent (AOR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.38-3.79), mother with primary education (AOR= 2.36, 95% CI:1.27-4.76), father with no formal education (AOR = 2.45,95%CI:1.09-5.49) and adolescents with low dietary diversity (AOR= 4.02, 95%CI: 2.42-6.68) were significantly associated with thinness, while mother with no formal education (AOR= 2.18, 95%CI:1.04 4.59) and adolescents who eat less than three times (AOR = 2.00,95%CI:1.07-3.74) were significantly associated with stunting. Conclusion: Secondary school adolescents face the problem of under nutrition especially with regard to stunting and thinness. Therefore, strategies to enhance the nutritional status of adolescent students including improving parental education and promoting dietary diversity and meal frequency should be given much attention in current study area.