DETERMINANTS OF MALNUTRITION AMONG UNDER FIVE AGE CHILDREN IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Purpose: Childhood stunting is one of the most significant impediments to human development. Stunting is a major health problem in children under-five years in many low and middle income countries around the world. Wasting is sometimes referred to as acute malnutrition because it is believed that episodes of wasting have a short duration, in contrast to stunting, which is regarded as chronic malnutrition.Methodology: The data for the study were taken from the Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey of year 2011. Three models, random intercept only model, random intercept and fixed slope model and random coefficient model compared based on the AIC value for stunting and wasting. Random coefficient model has a significant deviance chi-square and the value of AIC are less than from the random intercept with fixed slope model and random intercept only model so, the random coefficient model is a good fit.Results: Age of children, region, place of residence, wealth index, mothers BMI, the incidence of diarrhea in the last two weeks before the survey and mother and husband/partner educational level were found to be significant predictors for stunting. For wasting age of child, region, wealth index, mothers BMI, sex, incidence of diarrhea and fever and husband/partner education are significant predictor.Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study shows that age of children, region, place of residence, wealth index, mothers BMI, the incidence of diarrhea in the last two weeks before the survey and mother and husband/partner educational level were found to be significant predictors for stunting. For wasting age of child, region, wealth index, mothers BMI, sex, incidence of diarrhea and fever and husband/partner education are significant predictor. The study also shows that there is heterogeneity or cross-regional variation in stunting and wasting. Further, this study shows that there exist considerable differences in stunting and wasting among regions and random coefficient model is more appropriate to explain the regional variation than a model with fixed coefficients or empty model with random effects. Since there are variations in stunting and wasting across regions the concerned body should give special attention to regions like Affar and Ben-gumuz.