Minas S, Ayele BH, Sisay M, Fage SG. Undernutrition among khat-chewer and non-chewer lactating women in Chiro district, eastern Ethiopia: Comparative cross-sectional study.
SAGE Open Med 2022;
10:20503121221100143. [PMID:
35646352 PMCID:
PMC9136449 DOI:
10.1177/20503121221100143]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives:
This study aims to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and factors
associated with it among khat-chewer and non-chewer lactating women at Chiro
district, west Hararghe zone, eastern Ethiopia.
Methods:
A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 446
(223 khat chewers and 223 non-chewers) randomly selected lactating women who
have children aged 6 and 23 months. Data were collected through face-to-face
interviews using structured questionnaires followed by weight and height
measurements to calculate and categorize nutritional status based on body
mass index (kg/m2). Data were entered into EpiData version 3.1
and analyzed using STATA version 14.2. A binary logistic regression model
was fitted to check the association between independent variables and
undernutrition. The level of statistical significance was declared at a
p-value less than 0.05.
Results:
The overall prevalence of undernutrition among lactating women was 30.7% (95%
confidence interval = 26.6, 35.2). Undernutrition was significantly higher
among khat chewers, 39.0% (95% confidence interval = 32.8, 45.6) than
non-chewers, 22.4% (95% confidence interval = 17.4, 28.4), (χ2
(degree of freedom) = 14.4231, p < 0.0001). Chewing daily (adjusted odds
ratio = 3.14, 95% confidence interval = 1.08, 9.15), reducing number of
meals after chewing (adjusted odds ratio = 3.45, 95% confidence
interval = 1.29, 9.20), and unavailability of latrine (adjusted odds
ratio = 2.98, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 8.75) were significantly
associated with undernutrition among khat-chewer lactating women.
Furthermore, age at first pregnancy (<18 years) (adjusted odds
ratio = 3.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.17, 8.60), not taking any
additional meals (adjusted odds ratio = 3.41, 95% confidence
interval = 1.08, 10.7), and hand washing after toilet use (adjusted odds
ratio = 6.10, 95% confidence interval = 2.51, 14.8) were significantly
associated with undernutrition among non-chewer lactating women.
Conclusion:
The overall prevalence of undernutrition is higher than previous studies and
is alarming among khat-chewer lactating mothers. Thus, nutritional and
public health interventions should target khat-chewer lactating mothers
particularly focusing on daily chewer either to improve their dietary
practice during and after chewing or to stop khat chewing if possible, in
order to reduce the effect of khat on food absorption. Besides, improving
latrine coverage and use, and prevention of early pregnancy are of paramount
importance in reducing undernutrition among lactating mothers.
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