Abstract:
Back ground: Childhood malnutrition is one of the major killers of 6 to 23months children
in developing countries including Ethiopia.
Objective- to assess magnitude of under nutrition and its associated factors among children
age 6 to 23 months in Guchi woreda Oromia region, Borana Zone, Southern Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was used among randomly selected 453
infant/child-mother/care givers pairs in Guchi woreda, From March 30 to Dec 30. Face to
face interviews with the respective child’s mother/care givers and measurements of the
respective child’s weight and height was carried out. Information on socio-economic
characteristics, household food security status, child’s dietary intake, caregivers’ practices
and resources was collected. To identify factors associated with outcome variables; binary
logistic regression was done in bi-variable analysis variables with p-value of <0.25 were
included in multivariable analysis. The final model was interpreted using AOR with 95%; CI
at P-value of <0.05. Results; The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was
62.5%, 49%, and 14.4% respectively. Being male (AOR-1.93; 95%; CI (1.24-3.01) and lower
level of father’s educational status (AOR=7.01; 95%; CI; (1.82-26.96)) history of diarrhea
(AOR=1.93; 95%; CI; (1.00-3.70), cough (AOR=2.59(95%; CI; (1.25-5.35), poor protein
rich FFS (AOR=3.29; 95%; CI; 1.43-7.56)) were predictors of stunting. Sex being male were
1.93 times (AOR-1.93; 95%; CI (1.24-3.01) more likely wasted as compared to their counter
parts. Children with poor Protein Food consumption score were 1.82(AOR=1.82; 95%; CI
(1.65-5.08)) times more likely wasted as compared to good protein Food frequency score.
Conclusion and Recommendation; The prevalence of wasting, underweight and stunting
was high at the study area as compared to different studies with the national wide figure. Sex
being male were 1.93 times andpoor Protein Food consumption score were more likely
wasted. Fathers’ educational status able to read and write and Children’s who has history of
diarrhea were more likely to be underweight as compared to their counter parts. Children
who with cough and poor protein rich food frequency score were more likely affected by
stunted.Based on this finding; health workers working in in Guchi woreda should have to
care and give immediate treatment for respiratory disease and diarrhea to prevent under
nutrition among children’s
