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Bilal JA, Osman AA, Al-Nafeesah A, AlEed A, Adam I. Prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among adolescent Sudanese schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2024; 118:69-76. [PMID: 37565333 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trad055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malnutrition among adolescents is a considerable health problem worldwide. There are scarce data on undernutrition among adolescents in Sudan. METHODS A cross‑sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among adolescent schoolchildren in northern Sudan. The questionnaires were used to collect information on sociodemographics. Weights and heights were measured and the height-for-age and body mass index-for-age cut-offs recommended by the WHO were applied, followed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of 384 enrolled adolescents, 202 (52.6%) were females and 182 (47.4%) were males. The median (IQR) age of these adolescents was 15.1 (14.0‒16.3) y. Seventy-six (19.8%) and 52 (15.4%) adolescents had stunting and thinness, respectively, and 15 (3.9%) had both stunting and thinness. Multivariate analysis showed that increased age (adjusted OR [AOR]=1.30, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.57) and male gender (AOR=5.82, 95% CI 3.11 to 10.91) were associated with stunting. Male gender (AOR=2.08, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.82) and smoking/tobacco snuff (AOR=2.61, 95% CI 1.07 to 6.36) were associated with thinness. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the current study are that both stunting and thinness are important health problems, especially among boys, older participants and smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal A Bilal
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdullah Al-Nafeesah
- Department of Pediatrics, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah 56219, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashwaq AlEed
- Department of Pediatrics, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah 56219, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ishag Adam
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah, Saudi Arabia
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Hlahla MO, Kunene LA, Mphekgwana PM, Madiba S, Monyeki KD, Modjadji P. Comparison of Malnutrition Indicators and Associated Socio-Demographic Factors among Children in Rural and Urban Public Primary Schools in South Africa. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1749. [PMID: 38002840 PMCID: PMC10670259 DOI: 10.3390/children10111749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Most children in South Africa attending public schools are predisposed to malnutrition due to poor infrastructure and social inequality. This is despite the implementation of the National School Nutrition Programme to address barriers to learning associated with hunger and malnutrition and the National Development Plan to reduce child malnutrition through provision of social grants. In view of this, we compared malnutrition indicators and associated socio-demographic factors among children in rural Mpumalanga and urban Gauteng in South African public primary schools selected using a multistage cluster random sampling. A validated researcher-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data of caregivers, along with primary school children data collected on age, sex, learning grade, and anthropometric measures. Malnutrition indicators, which are stunting (low height-for-age z-scores), underweight (low weight-for-age z-scores), thinness (low body-mass-index-for-age z-scores), and overweight/obesity (high body mass index) were computed using WHO Anthro Plus 1.0.4 and data were analyzed using Stata 18. A total of 903 children (rural = 390 and urban = 513) with a mean age of 10 ± 2 years in the foundation phase (learning grades one to three) and the intermediate learning phase (learning grades four to seven) participated with their caregivers (mean age: 39 ± 8 years). Significant levels of poor socio-demographic status were observed among caregivers living in the rural setting compared to in the urban setting. Overall, thinness (18%), stunting (12%), underweight (10%), and overweight/obesity (24%) were observed among school children. Children in the rural schools had a significantly higher prevalence of stunting (20% vs. 3%; p < 0.0001), underweight (17% vs. 2%; p < 0.0001) and thinness (28% vs. 7%; p < 0.001) than their urban counterparts. In the urban, the odds of stunting, underweight and thinness were less among school children, while overweight/obesity was twice as likely in the urban setting. The multivariate final model showed lower odds of underweight [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06-0.42] and stunting [AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.87] in the urban compared to the rural schools. The association of stunting with sex [AOR =0.53; 95% CI: 0.30-0.94] and the intermediate learning phase [AOR = 7.87; 95% CI: 4.48-13.82] was observed in the rural setting, while thinness was associated with living in households with an income of USD 52.51 to USD 262.60/month [AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.01-8.24] and receiving the child social grant [AOR = 2.49; 0.90-6.86] in the urban setting. Overweight/obesity was associated with living in a household with an income of USD 52.51 to USD 262.60/month [AOR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.02-3.10]. The findings suggest nutritional intervention approaches that are accustomed to the context of settings to effectively tackle malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mosebudi Olga Hlahla
- Department of Public Health, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, 1 Molotlegi Street, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
| | - Lindy Agatha Kunene
- Department of Public Health, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, 1 Molotlegi Street, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
| | - Peter Modupi Mphekgwana
- Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0700, South Africa
| | - Sphiwe Madiba
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0700, South Africa
| | - Kotsedi Dan Monyeki
- Department of Physiology and Environmental Health, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0700, South Africa
| | - Perpetua Modjadji
- Department of Public Health, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, 1 Molotlegi Street, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
- Non-Communicable Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Roodepoort, Johannesburg 1709, South Africa
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Sahiledengle B, Mwanri L, Blumenberg C, Agho KE. Gender-specific disaggregated analysis of childhood undernutrition in Ethiopia: evidence from 2000-2016 nationwide survey. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2040. [PMID: 37853384 PMCID: PMC10585928 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Childhood undernutrition has been investigated extensively in previous literature but gender inequality detailing the burden of undernutrition has not been adequately addressed in scientific papers, especially in Ethiopia, where undernutrition is known to be a public health problem of high significance, necessitating increased efforts to address it and reduce this inequality. This study was carried out to: (1) explore gender differences in the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight, and (2) compare the factors associated with childhood undernutrition between boys and girls in Ethiopia. METHODS The study used a dataset of more than 33,564 children aged under 5 years (boys: 17,078 and girls: 16,486) who were included in the nationally representative Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) from 2000 to 2016. The outcome variables were anthropometric indices: stunting (height-for-age < -2 standard deviations), wasting (weight-for-height < -2 standard deviations), and underweight (weight-for-age < -2 standard deviations). Gender-specific multilevel analyses were used to examine and compare the factors associated with child undernutrition. RESULTS The overall prevalence of stunting (49.1% for boys vs 45.3% for girls, p < 0.001), wasting (11.9% for boys vs 9.9% for girls, p < 0.001), and underweight (33.1% for boys vs 29.8% for girls, p < 0.001) higher among boys compared to girls. Boys significantly had higher odds of stunting (aOR: 1.31, 95%CI: 1.21-1.42), wasting (aOR: 1.35, 1.23-1.48), and underweight (aOR: 1.38, 95%CI: 1.26-1.50) than girls. The common factors associated with childhood undernutrition for male and female children were the child's age, perceived size of the child at birth, breastfeeding status, maternal stature, maternal education, toilet facility, wealth index, and place of residence. Boys who were perceived by their mothers to be average sized at birth and were born to uneducated mothers had a higher likelihood of experiencing wasting, in contrast to girls. Among boys, birth order (firstborn), household size (1-4), and place of residence (urban) were associated with lower odds of being underweight. Boys living in cities had lower odds of being stunted. While girls born to mothers with no education and worked in agriculture were at a higher odd of being stunted. CONCLUSION Our study revealed that boys were more likely to be malnourished than girls, regardless of their age category, and there were variations in the factors determining undernutrition among boys and girls. The differences in the burden of undernutrition were significant and alarming, positioning Ethiopia to be questioned whether it will meet the set Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 of zero hunger by 2030. These findings call for more effort to address malnutrition as a significant public health issue in Ethiopia, and to urgently recognise the need for enhanced interventions that address the gender gap in childhood undernutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biniyam Sahiledengle
- Department of Public Health, Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital, Bale-Goba, Ethiopia.
| | - Lillian Mwanri
- Research Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing (PHEHF), Torrens University Australia, Adelaide Campus, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Cauane Blumenberg
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
- Causale Consultoria, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Kingsley Emwinyore Agho
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- School of Medicine, Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown Campus, Penrith, NSW, 2571, Australia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Woldesenbet B, Tolcha A, Tsegaye B. Water, hygiene and sanitation practices are associated with stunting among children of age 24-59 months in Lemo district, South Ethiopia, in 2021: community based cross sectional study. BMC Nutr 2023; 9:17. [PMID: 36691099 PMCID: PMC9869534 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-023-00677-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stunting among children of ages 24-59 months is a major public health challenge in developing countries. It has been linked with poor water quality, water accessibility, a lack of environmental sanitation, and personal hygiene (WASH) practices, particularly in food-insecure areas. Stunting occurs during certain seasons in food-insecure settings. Therefore, a complete understanding of risk factors is the first step in the development of a preventive strategy. However, information is scarce about the prevalence and factors associated with stunting among children of ages 24-59 months in these settings. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with stunting among children aged 24-59 months in Lemo district, south Ethiopia, in 2021. METHODS A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1-30/2021. Data were collected from a total of 415 randomly selected children and mother /guardian/. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with childhood stunting. In binary logistic regression analysis, independent variables with p-value < 0.25 were fitted into multivariable logistic regression analysis to explore final predictors of stunting/ thinness/. Independent variables with AOR and 95% CI and P-value < 0.05 was computed and reported as predictors of stunting among children in this study. RESULTS From a total of 450 children, only 415 were included in the final analysis, making a response rate of 92.2%. The prevalence of stunting among children was 33.5% (95% CI: 30.4 and 36.6%) in this study. Children ages 48-59 months (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 2.1, 12.1), children ages 36-47 months (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.1), children of uneducated women (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 4.2), children who lived near unimproved toilets (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.6), children whose feces was disposed of unsafely (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.57, 5.31), and children whose mothers did not wash their hands before feeding their children (AOR = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.0, 19.1) were factors positively associated with stunting among children aged 24 months to 59 months. CONCLUSION The prevalence of stunting is high compared with the national prevalence of stunting in food insecure areas. Policy makers, local leaders, and community health extension workers should enhance environmental sanitation and create awareness about personal hygiene. Furthermore, improved toilet construction and appropriate utilization should be encouraged. Furthermore, the local government should work to improve the socio-economic status of poor households.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biruk Woldesenbet
- grid.192268.60000 0000 8953 2273Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Alemu Tolcha
- grid.192268.60000 0000 8953 2273Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Berhan Tsegaye
- grid.192268.60000 0000 8953 2273Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
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Cordeiro LS, Otis NP, Sibeko L, Nelson-Peterman J. Rural-urban disparities in the nutritional status of younger adolescents in Tanzania. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261480. [PMID: 34929005 PMCID: PMC8687541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on geographic differences in health focuses largely on children less than five years; little is known about adolescents—and even less regarding younger adolescents—a vulnerable group at a critical stage of the life course. Africa’s rapid population growth and urbanization rates, coupled with stagnant rates of undernutrition, further indicate the need for country-specific data on rural-urban health disparities to inform development policies. This study examined rural-urban disparities in body mass index-for-age-and-sex (BAZ) and height-for-age-and-sex z-scores (HAZ) among younger adolescents in Tanzania. Participants were randomly selected adolescents aged 10–14 years (N = 1,125) residing in Kilosa (rural) and Moshi (urban) districts of Tanzania. Individual and household-level data were collected using surveys and anthropometric data was collected on all adolescents. Age, sex, household living conditions, and assets were self-reported. BAZ and HAZ were calculated using the WHO reference guide. The prevalence of undernutrition was 10.9% among rural and 5.1% among urban adolescents (p<0.001). Similarly, stunting prevalence was greater in rural (64.5%) than urban (3.1%) adolescents (p<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, rural residence was significantly and inversely associated with BAZ (B = -0.29, 95% CI: -0.52, -0.70, p = 0.01), as well as with HAZ (B = -1.79, 95% CI: -2.03, -1.54, p<0.001). Self-identified males had lower BAZ (B = -0.23, 95% CI: -0.34, -0.11, p<0.001) and HAZ (B = -0.22, 95% CI: -0.35, -0.09, p = 0.001) than self-identified female adolescents. Rural-urban disparities in nutritional status were significant and gendered. Findings confirm place of residence as a key determinant of BAZ and HAZ among younger adolescents in Tanzania. Targeted gender-sensitive interventions are needed to limit growth faltering and improve health outcomes in rural settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine S. Cordeiro
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicholas P. Otis
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Lindiwe Sibeko
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Jerusha Nelson-Peterman
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Framingham State University, Framingham, MA, United States of America
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Stunting and Associated Factors among Under-Five-Age Children in West Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. J Nutr Metab 2021; 2021:8890725. [PMID: 33614170 PMCID: PMC7878078 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8890725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stunting is one of the most important public health problems in Ethiopia. It remains a problem of greater magnitude particularly in rural and low-income areas. It reflects chronic nutritional deficiencies and illness that occur during the most critical periods for growth and development in early life. It needs proper intervention to save the future, unless it resulted in diminished cognitive and physical development for the rest of their lives. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of stunting and associated factors among under-five children in West Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Method A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 767 under-five children who were included in this study by using a multistage sampling technique in 12 kebeles from 3 selected districts. Data were collected from a mother/caregiver of the child by using a structured pretested questionnaire. Standardized anthropometric measurements were used to measure length, weight, and height of a child. Data were entered into Epi Info software version 3.5.1 and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis for descriptive and logistic regression models. Result The prevalence of stunting was 244 (31.8%) with 95% CI (28.6–35.2) among under-five-age children. The under-five children whose fathers had a polygamous marriage (AOR = 4.92, 95% CI: 3.46, 7.00), being female sex (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.47), having below 4 meal frequencies (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.56, 5.58), not vaccinated (AOR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.67), and from poor households' wealth status (AOR = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.63, 5.63) and also from severely food insecure household (AOR = 2.92, 95% CI: 1.36, 6.24) were short for their age compared with their counterparts. Conclusion Nearly one-third of the under-five children were stunted in the study area which needs intervention on child-feeding practice to avoid sex discrimination in the community. In addition to this health officials in collaboration with other sectors, it is needed to act together to improve enforcement of the law for polygamous marriage, the household's wealth status, and food security for the better health of a child and future.
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Bukenya JN, Canavan CR, Bärnighausen T, Fawzi WW. Strengthening our knowledge base and research capacity for improved adolescent health in sub-Saharan Africa: a South-South-North collaboration. Trop Med Int Health 2019; 25:2-4. [PMID: 31777153 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chelsey R Canavan
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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