Abstract:
Background: Stunting is a serious impediment to child survival and developing a full learning capacity. An estimated of 159 million children around the world are malnourished. Stunting remains a public health problem of greater magnitude and it more accurately reflects nutritional deficiencies of the
most critical periods of growth and development in early life. Nonetheless, little is known about the
magnitude and factors associated with Stunting among children aged 6 to 59 months across all corners of Ethiopia therefore, the study was aimed to assess the magnitude of stunting and associated
factors among 6-59 months old children in Dedo District, Jimma zone, south west Ethiopia 2016.
Methods and materials: Across-sectional study was conducted among 6-59 months aged children in
Dedo District of Jimma zone. A total of 647 children 6-59 months aged were included from 17
kebeles in Dedo woreda using simple random sampling. Descriptive statistics (Frequency, mean,
standard deviation) were computed to show the picture of the data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic
regressions were used for determining the independent predictors.
Result: A total of 647 children (201 males and 446 females) age 6-59 months living in Dedo district
were enrolled in the study, giving a response rate of 100% and study result reveals that 29.98% of 6-
59 months old children were stunted, with even higher rates among male children 123 (64.4%). Stunting were significantly associated with 24 to 35 months aged children [AOR= 1.3, (95%CI: 1.01,
3.45)], Initiation of Breast feeding after delivery within 24 hours [AOR= 2.6, (95%CI: 1.32, 5.13)],
children whose their mothers were merchant [AOR= 3.94, (95%CI: 1.09, 14.2)] and those children in
poor wealth status [AOR= 6.07, (95%CI: 2.16, 17.047)].
Conclusion: The findings of this study have proven stunting were a high prevalent problem in the
study area. The child’s age, household wealth index, mother’s occupation and initiation of breast
feeding after delivery were found to be associated factors of stunting. The findings of this study suggest that there is potential need for linking nutrition interventions in the study area.
Recommendation: Nutrition education by health extension works should be strengthening to improving the feeding practice of parents on appropriate children feeding at all ages of children and also
woreda administration should strengthen and established income generation active and saving at HHs
like credit and saving process in collaboration with stakeholders to improve family income
