Nutritional Status of School Going Adolescent Girls in Awash Town, Afar Region, Ethiopia

Stunting and Underweight among Adolescent Girls of Indigenous Communities in Telangana, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

India's indigenous groups remain vulnerable to malnutrition, despite economic progress, reflecting the reliance on traditional agriculture and the problems of poverty and inadequate education and sanitation. This mixed-methods study analyzed the incidence, causes and determinants of chronic malnutrition, measured through stunting, thinness and underweight among adolescent indigenous girls in Telangana. Using 2017 data on 695 girls aged 11-18 years from 2542 households, the analysis showed that 13% had normal nutritional status, while 87% were stunted, underweight or thin. Early adolescents (11-14 years) had higher underweight prevalence (24.4%), while late adolescents (15-18 years) showed greater stunting (30%). Regressions identified key influencing factors. Higher education levels of heads of households and the girls themselves alongside household toilet access significantly improved nutritional status and reduced stunting and underweight. The sociocultural emphasis on starchy staple-based diets and early marriage also impacted outcomes. Tackling this crisis requires mainstreaming nutrition across development agendas via comprehensive policies, education, communication and community participation. Further research can guide context-specific solutions. But, evidence-based investments in indigenous education, livelihoods, sanitation and women's empowerment are the first steps. Nutrition-sensitive development is indispensable for indigenous groups to fully participate in and benefit from India's progress.

Factors associated with inadequate dietary diversity among adolescent girls in Hurumu Woreda High School, Oromia Region, Southwest Ethiopia

Background

Inadequate diet among adolescent girls leads to anatomical and physiological disturbances which will contribute to the vicious intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. However, only a few studies are available in Ethiopia on dietary diversity among adolescent girls who are attending school.

Objective

The objective of this study is to assess factors associated with inadequate dietary diversity among high school adolescent girls in Hurumu Woreda, Southwest Ethiopia, 2022.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 374 high school adolescent girls from 3 May 2022 to 12 June 2022 and selected by using simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. Epi-data version 4.6.0 was used to enter the data, which were then exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Simple binary and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with inadequate dietary diversity.

Results

In this study, the magnitude of inadequate dietary diversity among adolescent girls was 62.6% [95% CI: 57.5-66.5]. Living with more than five family members (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.16-3.44), consumption of sweet foods/beverages (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.07-3.41), poor nutritional knowledge (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.48-3.89), and poor household wealth tercile (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.44-5.12) were significantly associated with inadequate dietary diversity.

Conclusion

Living with more than five family members, poor household wealth status, consumption of sweet foods/beverages, family size, and poor nutritional knowledge were factors significantly associated with inadequate dietary diversity. Hence, nutrition education, the use of family planning methods, and securing income-generating activities should be implemented.

School Feeding and Nutritional Status of Students in Dubti District, Afar, Northeast Ethiopia: Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Providing food to the school children is an important means of compacting malnutrition especially in high food insecure areas. Our study was conducted to evaluate the association between school feeding and nutritional status among students in primary schools of Dubti district in Afar region.

Methods

A comparative cross-sectional study was employed on 936 primary school students from March 15-31/2021. For data collection, structured questionnaire was administered by the interviewer. Descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression was conducted. WHO Anthro-plus software was used to compute anthropometric data. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was calculated to identify the level of association. Variables with p-value <0.05 were taken as statistical level of significance.

Results

A total of 936 primary school students, with 100% response rate, were included in the current study. The prevalence of stunting in school fed and non-school fed students was 13.7% 95% CI (11, 17) and 21.6% 95% CI (18, 25), respectively. The prevalence of thinness in school fed and non-school fed students was 4.9% 95% CI (3, 7) and 13.9% 95% CI (11, 17), respectively. Even though no record of overweight and obesity were found in non-school fed students, 5.4% 95% CI (3, 7) among school fed students was overweight/obese. Grade level, diet information source, media source availability, maternal age, the critical time for hand washing, and nutrition education were found to be predictors of malnutrition in both groups of students.

Conclusion

The magnitude of stunting and thinness in school fed students is found to be lower, but overnutrition is higher than non-school fed. Grade level of students and diet selection information were determinants that affected the nutritional status of students. Coordinated education regarding good feeding practice, and personal as well as environmental hygiene should be given to the students and their families.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association of dietary diversity with undernutrition in school-aged children

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition in childhood has lasting consequences; its effects not only last a lifetime but are also passed down from generation to generation such as short stature, school-aged children are the most vulnerable section of the population and require special attention, including nutrition.

METHOD

We searched Medline through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify all observational studies published before Jun 2022. Observational studies with a pediatric population aged 5-18 years that evaluated risk estimate with 95% confidence intervals the relationship between dietary diversity and undernutrition (wasting, stunting, and thinness) were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) were followed.

RESULTS

This is a first systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 20 studies were eligible (n = 18 388). Fourteen data evaluated stunting resulting in a pooled effect size estimated odds ratio of 1.43 (95% CI: 1.08-1.89; p = 0.013). Ten data evaluated Thinness resulting in a pooled effect size estimated odds ratio of 1.10 (95% CI: 0.81-1.49; P = 0.542). Two studies were revealed wasting with a odds ratio of 2.18 (95% CI: 1.41-3.36; p-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

According to the conclusions of this meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies, inadequate dietary diversity increases the risk of undernutrition in growth linear but not in thinness in school-aged children. The findings of this analysis suggest that initiatives that support improvements to the diversity of children's diets to reduce the risk of undernutrition may be warranted in LMICs.

Nutritional Status and Associated Factors Among School Adolescent Girls in North Shoa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Adolescents are the most affected group and the group that is least studied when it comes to malnutrition, which is one of the most important public health concerns in underdeveloped countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess nutritional status and related factors among teenage females who are in school.

Materials and Methods

From October 1 to October 25, 2018, 645 young girls in school participated in an institution-based cross-sectional study. Girls in their teen years from the school were selected using a simple random sample method. Anthropometric tests and in-person interviews were used to collect the data. An odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and a p-value under 0.05 were used to declare a statistical association.

Results

This study found that 12.3% and 9.6% of school adolescent girls were stunted and thin, respectively. Being a rural resident (adjusted odd ratio [AOR]: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.05-3.28) and inadequate dietary diversity score (AOR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.06-4.60) were significant predictors of stunting. School adolescent girls from merchant father were 71% less likely to develop stunting compared with government employee father. Late adolescent age (AOR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.28-4.02) and family size ≥5 (AOR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.05-3.75) were significant predictors of thinness.

Conclusions

Stunting and thinness were the major public health problems among school adolescent girls in the study area. Being a rural resident and inadequate dietary diversity increases the risk of stunting. However, being late adolescent girl and large family size were risk factors for thinness. There was a need for a school-based instruction program that concentrated on a varied diet and methods of encouraging the adolescent girls' appetites.

Stunting and thinness in school-attending adolescents in Addis Ababa

BACKGROUND

Adolescent population Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) is uncommon in low-income settings. Though Global Diet Quality Score is a good measure of dietary diversity, it has not been used in assessing nutritional outcomes among adolescents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess school-attending adolescents stunting and thinness status and associations with global diet quality scores in Addis Ababa.

METHODS

A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among school-attending adolescents in the age group of 10-14 years in urban settings in Ethiopia. A multi-stage stratified random sampling procedure was used to select schools and students. A total of 1200 adolescents were included in the study. Binary and Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of stunting and thinness respectively.

RESULTS

The proportion of school-attending adolescents stunting was 8.17% (95% CI: 6.74%,9.85%) and their thinness status 12.66% (95% CI: 10.89%, 14.67%). The overall mean GDQS food groups for Seven days period consumed were 19.99 + 2.81 SD. Male adolescents were 1.95 times more likely to be stunted compared to female adolescents (1.95; 95%CI: 1.11,3.39). Frequent consumption of low-fat dairy increased the risk of thinness, while frequent consumption of citrus fruits and white root tubers decreased the risk of school-attending adolescents' thinness.

CONCLUSION

The proportion of thin or stunted adolescents attending school was high still, about 1 in 10. Stunting and thinness have no association with the overall GDQS. Nutritional interventions need to consider frequent consumption of citrus fruits, low-fat dairy, and white roots and tubers in school adolescents' nutritional programs. Further studies should validate the GDQS for stunting and thinness of school adolescents.

Parent's food literacy and adolescents nutrition literacy influence household's food security and adolescent's malnutrition and anemia: Findings from a national representative cross sectional study

Introduction

Food and nutrition literacy are widely fundamental to improve the food security and reduce the double burden of malnutrition and iron deficiency in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives

This study aimed (1) to assess the nutrition literacy (NL) of Lebanese adolescents and their parents' food literacy (FL), (2) to investigate the impacts of adolescents' NL and parental FL on (a) the household food security, (b) the adolescents' self-reported food security, and (c) the adolescents' nutrition status with a focus on malnutrition and anemia.

Methods

A national representative sample of 450 parent-adolescent dyads [parents: mean age ± standard deviation (SD) = 46.0 ± 7.0, mothers: 59.0%; adolescents: mean age ± SD = 15.0 ± 3.0, girls: 54.6%] were interviewed. Anthropometric and blood hemoglobin measurements were performed for adolescents. The Arab Family Food Security Scale and the Adolescent-Level Food Security Scale were used.

Results

Around 45.0% of the adolescents were nutritionally illiterate, and nearly half (47.8%) of parents had poor FL. Around 68.2 and 54.0% of the households and adolescents were food insecure, respectively. Moreover, 6.7, 4.7, 32.2, and 16.7% of the adolescents were stunted, thin, overweight/obese, and anemic, respectively. Poor parental FL increased the risk of household food insecurity (FI) by 2.7 times, p < 0.001. Adolescents' nutrition illiteracy increased their FI risk by 60.0% (p = 0.02). The number of offspring, household income, crowding status, and participants' residence also influenced the percentage of FI and malnutrition prevalence among households and adolescents.

Conclusion

Improvements in FL and NL are promising to mitigate FI malnutrition in Lebanon.

Undernutrition and its associated factors among school adolescent girls in Abuna Gindeberet district, Central Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Background

Adolescent is the population whose age between 10–19 years old. They are undergoing rapid growth, development and are one of the nutritionally at-risk groups who should need attention. Adolescent undernutrition is a worldwide problem. Even if this stage brings the second window of opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition little is known specifically in the study area. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among school adolescent girls in Abuna Gindeberet district, Central Ethiopia, 2021.

Methods

Institution-based cross-sectional quantitative study design was conducted in Abuna Gindeberet district among 10–19 years adolescent girls attending primary and secondary schools from January 1–30, 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 587 adolescent girls. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered structured and anthropometric measurements. Data were coded, then entered into the Epi-info version 7.2.2.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 and WHO Anthro plus for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictors of under nutrition. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05.

Results

The overall magnitude of stunting and thinness were 15.4% [95% CI (12–18)] and 14.2% [95% CI (11–17)] respectively. Number of meals per day [AOR = 3.62, 95% C.I (2.16, 6.05)], adolescent girls of lower grades [AOR = 2.08, 95% C.I (1.07, 4.04)] and who did not begin menstruation [AOR = 1.71, 95% C.I (1.06, 2.73)] were significantly associated with stunting. Adolescent girls engaged in vigorous intensity activities [AOR = 2.51, 95% C.I (1.14, 5.54)], poor dietary diversity score [AOR = 4.05, 95% C.I (1.43, 11.46)] and adolescent age [AOR = 3.77, 95% C.I (1.06, 13.37)] were significantly associated with thinness among adolescent girls.

Conclusions

Adolescent girl's undernutrition is a public health problem in the study area. The number of meals per day, adolescent girls of lower grades and who did not begin menstruation were significantly associated with stunting as well as adolescent girls engaged in vigorous-intensity activities; poor dietary diversity score and adolescent age were significantly associated with thinness among adolescent girls. Therefore, government and other stakeholders should focus on these identified factors to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls.

Dietary diversity score and associated factors among high school adolescent girls in a selected school of Yeka Sub-city, Addis Ababa

Introduction:

Adequate dietary intake is critical for modification of eating behavior and provides nutrients required for growth particularly among adolescents. The evidence revealed the variation and unrelated data on the prevalence of dietary diversity among adolescent girls in Ethiopia.

Objective:

To assess the magnitude of dietary diversity and associated factors among high school adolescent girls at the selected school of Yeka Sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2021.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in high schools of the Yeka sub-city. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS and the characteristics of the study participants were reported using descriptive statistics. A logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with dietary diversity.

Result:

The mean score of dietary diversity was 4.9 ± 1.47 with a response rate of 97.2% among a proposed number of participants. The dietary diversity score is high in 56.7% and low among 43.3% of adolescents. Stayed a long time on social media (adjusted odds ratio = 2.6), school type (adjusted odds ratio = 6.5), educational status of mother (adjusted odds ratio = 8.7), consuming more sweet food (adjusted odds ratio = 3.6), occupation of the mother (adjusted odds ratio = 2.3), household security (adjusted odds ratio = 2.3), and fear of obese/worried about shape (adjusted odds ratio = 5.0) were statistically associated with low dietary diversity score.

Conclusion:

The finding of the study revealed that the magnitude of low dietary diversity among adolescent girls was found to be high. Long time social media usage, school type, educational status of the mother, consuming more sweet food, occupation of mother, household food security, and fear of obese/worried about shape were statistically associated with dietary diversity score.

Factors associated with dietary diversity among adolescents in Woldia, Northeast Ethiopia

Background

Consuming diversified food during the adolescent period is essential to build a healthy and active mind for their later life. Food prices increased in the local market due to fewer production of crops. Thus, exploring the dietary diversity of adolescents in this area is crucial to estimate diet quality. So the aim of the study was to identify determinant factors of dietary diversity.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescent students in Woldia town. A total of four hundred eleven students were included in the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants. The outcome variable was dietary diversity; it was calculated by summing of the number of food group consumed by individuals in the given reference period. Bivariable and multivariable logistic analysis was done. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to measure an association. A variable with a P-value less than 0.05 is considered a significant factor.

Results

The proportion of inadequate dietary diversity was 49.1% (95% CI 44.5–53.8). Being female (AOR =5.53, 95% CI 3.447–8.859), secondary and above mothers’ education level (AOR=0. 27, 95%CI 0.153–0.477), living in a family size five and above (AOR= 2.09, 95CI% 1.31–3.34), and poor knowledge about nutrition (AOR=4.56, 95% CI 2.727–7.639) were significantly associated with inadequate dietary diversity.

Conclusions and recommendations

Inadequate dietary diversity was associated with sex, knowledge of nutrition, maternal education level, and family size. It is better to design a nutrition intervention program that focus on nutrition education to scale up diversified food consumption among adolescents.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40795-021-00430-6.