Prevalence and Associated Factors of Thinness among Adolescent Students in Finote Selam Town, Northwest 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.

Inadequate dietary diversity practices and associated factors among postpartum mothers in Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia

The shortage of diversified diets in lactating postpartum mothers is a severe problem in developing countries. The promotion of diverse diets is important to improving micronutrient nourishment and adequate energy intake for lactating mothers. To date, there is limited evidence regarding inadequate dietary diversity practices among lactating postpartum mothers in Gambella region. The study is aimed to determine inadequate dietary diversity practice and associated factors among lactating postpartum mothers in Gambella city, southwest Ethiopia. Mixed methods were employed on 407 randomly selected lactating postpartum mothers and 15 purposively selected key informants from February 28 to March 24, 2021. A pre-tested questionnaire and interview guide were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21 software. Binary logistic regression models were used to determine the associated factors of dietary diversity. Qualitative data were analyzed manually through a thematic approach. The prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity practice was 60.2%. Having no education (AOR = 3.74, 95% CI: 1.18, 11.88), employed women(AOR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.75), meal frequency < 3 meals (AOR = 2.92, 95% CI: 1.04, 8.71), time taken to market > 30 min (AOR = 4.20, 95% CI: 2.01, 8.76), not received nutrition education (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI:1.09, 3.68), having home gardening (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.57) and having big animals (AOR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.29) were significant factors of inadequate dietary diversity practice. Diet habits, food taboos, low social status of women in ownership of household assets, low family support, order of feeding, child preference for resource distribution in a polygamous family, and health care provider's advice were the main mentioned reasons for inadequate dietary diversity practices. The prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity practices were high compared to previous studies. Having no education, employed women, meal frequency < 3 meals, time taken to market > 30 min, not receiving nutrition education, having a home garden, and having big animals were significant factors of inadequate dietary diversity practice. Nutrition intervention focused on nutrition education to increase meal frequency should be provided for lactating postpartum mothers to improve inadequate dietary diversity practices.

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.

Prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among adolescent students in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Undernutrition among adolescents is a major public health problem in developing nations including Ethiopia. Adolescents need to have good-quantity and good-quality nutrients to cope with this rapid growth and other health risks which increase nutritional demand. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among school adolescents in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia.

METHODS

A school-based cross-sectional study among adolescent students aged 10-19 in public schools was carried out in Finote Selam Town from February 5 to March 27, 2018. A total of 397 school adolescents were included in this study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select study subjects. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were entered using Epi info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and WHO AnthroPlus software. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with stunting and thinness. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% level significance were used to measure the strength of association, and statistical significance was declared at a P value less than 0.05.

RESULTS

The prevalence of stunting and thinness among school adolescents was 21.8% and 16.9%, respectively. About 9.7% of school adolescents experienced both stunting and thinness. Being male (P = 0.031), coming from rural area (P = 0.046), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.044) and having less than four dietary diversity (P = 0.021) were significantly associated with stunting. Early adolescent stage (P = 0.034), being male adolescent students (P = 0.37), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.016), having a family monthly income between $28.37 and $56.74 (P = 0.021) (35.25 Birr = 1 USD) and using well water (P = 0.045) were significantly associated with thinness.

CONCLUSION

Undernutrition was a predominant problem in the study area. Sex, age, place of residence, dietary diversity, sources of drinking water and family monthly income were important factors associated with stunting and thinness among the respondents. Strategies to improve the nutritional status of adolescent students should be given much attention.

Associated factors and socio-economic inequality in the prevalence of thinness and stunting among adolescent boys and girls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India

Background

Despite economic growth observed in developing countries, under-nutrition still continues to be a major health problem. Undernutrition in adolescence can disrupt normal growth and puberty development and may have long-term impact. Therefore, it is important to study the undernutrition among adolescents. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and the associated factors of stunting, thinness and the coexistence of both (stunting and thinness) among the adolescent belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India.

Methods

The study utilized data from Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) project survey, which was conducted in two Indian states Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in 2016 by Population Council under the guidance of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Utilizing information on 20,594 adolescents aged 10–19 years (adolescent boys-5,969 and adolescent girls-14,625), the study examined three outcome variables, i.e., thinness, stunting, and co-existence of both. The study used descriptive and bivariate analysis. Furthermore, the study examined income-related inequality in stunting and thinness through concentration index. At last, the study used Wagstaff decomposition analysis to decompose the concentration index.

Results

The prevalence of thinness was higher among adolescent boys as compared to girls (25.8 per cent vs. 13.1 per cent). However, stunting was more prevalent among girls (25.6 per cent) than in boys (39.3 per cent). The odds of stunting were higher among late adolescents [Boys- OR:1.79; CI: 1.39, 2.30] and [Girls- OR: 2.25; CI: 1.90,2.67], uneducated adolescents [Boys- OR:2.90; CI: 1.67, 5.05] and [Girls- OR: 1.82; CI: 1.44,2.30], and poorest adolescents [Boys- OR:2.54; CI: 1.80, 3.58] and [Girls- OR: 1.79; CI: 1.38,2.32]. Similarly age, educational status, working status and wealth index were significantly associated with thinness among adolescent boys and girls. Media exposure [Boys- OR: 11.8% and Girls- 58.1%] and Wealth index [Boys: 80.1% and Girls: 66.2%] contributed significantly to the inequality in the prevalence of thinness among adolescents. Similarly, wealth index [Boys: 85.2% and Girls: 84.1%] was the only significant contributor to the inequality in the prevalence of stunting among adolescents.

Conclusion

The study provides an understanding that stunting and thinness is a significant public health concern among adolescents, and there is a need to tackle the issue comprehensively. By tackling the issue comprehensively, we mean that the state government of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar shall screen, assess, and monitor the nutritional status of adolescent boys and girls. The interventions shall focus towards both boys as well as girl adolescents, and particular emphasis should be given to adolescents who belonged to poor households. Also, efforts should be taken by stakeholders to increase family wealth status.