Undernutrition and associated factors among rural primary school children in zala district, southern Ethiopia . A comparative study in schools with and without feeding program

Abstract

Malnutrition in school-age children have different health impacts that result in delayed maturation, deficiencies in muscular strength, low work capacity, reduced bone density later in life, and poor school performance. In developing countries, 52% and 34-62% of the school-age children are stunted and underweight. To mitigate this burden School feeding program was primarily designed to increase equity, access to education, enrollment, attendance, and nutritional status and health of school children. Objective: This study was aimed to determine undernutrition and associated factors among rural primary school children in schools with and without a feeding program in Zala district, Southern, Ethiopia. Method: - A school-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 514 rural primary school children of 7-14 years old from March 8-18, 2020. A Stratified sampling technique was employed and simple random sampling was used to select the study participants from each stratum. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed by a statistical package for social science version 22software. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were undergone. Results and discussions: The overall prevalence of stunting, thinness, and underweight among school children in the study area was 26.1%, 14.2%, 16.5% respectively. A higher stunting, thinness, and underweight prevalence was observed among school children from non- feeding schools 31.1%, 17.5%, and 20.2% respectively than in schools with feeding programs 21%, 10.9%, and 12.6% respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in stunting [COR=1.69, 95%CI (1.14-2.53)/P=0.009)] and thinness [COR=1.74, 95%CI (1.05- 2.88)/P=0.033)] among school children in feeding and non- feeding groups. Meal frequency per day, missed meal schedule, latrine availability, father’s occupation, and deworming were found to be significantly associated with stunting among the school children, whereas the availability of hand washing facility and latrine were factors associated with thinness among school children. Conclusion: - The findings suggest that the School feeding program can improve the nutritional status of school children.