Abstract

Background: Undernutrition is a major public health problem disproportionately high in developing world. In Ethiopia, child undernutrition remained a key public health problem despite lots of interventions. According to 2016 EDHS, 38% of children under age 5 are stunted; 10% is wasted, and 24% are underweight. Data specific to the nutritional status of preschool children in Jimma zone as well as the country is limited. Moreover the shift in public health nutrition programs from under 5 to under 2 years of age strains attentions which could be extended to this age groups.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess prevalence undernutrition and associated factor among preschool children in Jimma town, 2018.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 408 preschool children 36-59 months aged in Jimma town from March 1-April 15/2018 G.C. Systematic sampling techniques were used in selecting the study participants. A pre-tested interviewed questionnaire was used to collect data assessing undernutrition, socio-demographic, economic status, health-related and feeding practice, Data were exported from EPI data version 4.1 to SPSS version 20 for statistical analysis. Anthropometric data were analyzed by WHO Anthro (2006) and principal component analysis was done to generate household wealth index. Both descriptive and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictors of nutritional status. Finally variable with p-value <0.05 was statistically significant.

Results: the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were about 21.8%, 15.2%, and 17.2% respectively. This study showed that children from food insecure households were 3.7 times stunted [AOR=3.731; (95% CI= 2.037-6.836)] similarly, children whose mothers had no formal education were 3.9 times stunted [AOR= 3.98; (95% CI=1.206-13.127)] In addition, children who share food from the same plate were 2.2 times stunted than counterparts [AOR= 2. 228;(95%CI= 1.251-3.971)] and children who feed one to two times per day were 2.8 times more likely to be stunted as compared to those who feed four to five times per day [AOR= 2.82 (95% CI= 1.251-3.971)]. Furthermore children from low socioeconomic status were 3.4 times wasted as compared to those children from high socioeconomic household [AOR = 3.453 (95%CI =1.255-9.510)], children from family size of five and above were 3 times wasted than those children from family size less than five [AOR =3.090 (95% CI= 1.198-7.972)]. In addition, children having fever prior to the study period were 2.3 times wasted as compared to their counterpart  [AOR= 2.353 (95% CI= 1.081-5.2)]. And the odds of being wasted among children whose maternal age 31-40 were 2.2 times as compared to those children whose maternal age 20-30 years [AOR=2.244 (95% CI=1.135-4.438)].

Conclusion and recommendations: There existed a substantial level of stunting and wasting among preschool children. Maternal education, feeding from the same plate, frequency of feeding per day and household food security status was associated with stunting. While wasting were family size, wealth index, the age of mother and fever during past 2week. Promotion of optimal feeding, food security measures and better health care delivery are vitally important in such a setting.

.Keyword: undernutrition, Preschool children, associated factor.

Corresponding Author

Name . Melese sinaga (B.pharm , Msc )

Email . sinmele@gmail.com Mobile number : 0911538218