Abstract:
Background: Child nutritional status is an essential component of a country’s overall human
development. It continues to be widespread in a population of more than 200 million children
under five (one in three children) in developing countries. To improve the nutritional status and
living conditions in communities, it is necessary to determine the nature, magnitude and cause of
malnutrition. This is a reason why this study focused to study the prevalence of malnutrition and
associated factors in Bule Hora, Borena zone.
Objective: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with nutritional status in children
under five years age in Bule Hora Woreda, Borena Zone.
Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional quantitative study design was used to assess
the magnitude and factors associated with malnutrition in children less than five years of age.A
structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 796 children paired with their mothers or
caregivers. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify
determinants of nutritional status. Degree of association between dependent and independent
variables was assessed using OR and 95% CI. Statistical association was declared as p-value less
than 0.05.
Result: Result:The result of the study indicated that 47.6% of the children were stunted, 29.2%
were underweight, and 13.4 % wasted. Prevalence of severe stunting, underweight and wasting
were 20.2%, 6% and 3.9% respectively.Presence of diarrhea, being male by sex,uneducated
fathers and total number of children ever born to a mother were significantly associated with
underweight. Presence of diarrhea, being male by sex, Pre –lacteal feeding and not using family
planning methods were significantly associated with stunting and presence of diarrhea,age at
which additional food given and not using family planning were predictors ofwasting.
Conclusion: As the prevalence of malnutrition among the children was found high, it is
recommended that intervention should focus on prevention and control of diarrheal disease
through improving access to safe and adequate water supply, immunization, housing, sanitation
and hygiene practicesandon improving promotion of nutrition education and utilization of family
planning.
