Abstract
Background: Stunting is a major public-health problem in low and middle-income countries, and it increases risk of morbidity and mortality during childhood. In Ethiopia, it is a major public health problem. Objective: To assess prevalence and associated factors for stunting among school children at Debre Markos town and Gozamen woreda, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Methods and materials: Cross-sectional quantitative study design was employed. The study area and study sites were selected by random sampling method and the study subjects were taken by systematic random sampling technique. The study was conducted at eight selected schools. The study was carried out from March 2013 up to June 2013. Statically analysis: Data were entered into Epi-info (version 3.5.1) satirical software then exported in to SPSS version 16.0 statistical programs and anthroplus software was used to determine HAZ score of individual values. Result: The overall prevalence of stunting was 48.1%, out of which, 5% were severely stunted, 14.3% moderately stunted and 28.8% mildly stunted, and the mean was 1.72 with standard division of 0 .887. 3.1% boys and 1.9% girls were severely stunted. As the age increased stunting was significant. Rural school children were highly stunted as compared to urban children. Conclusion: This study showed that stunted rate was alarming magnitude. Total prevalence of stunting in this study was 48.1%; 5% were severely stunted (<-3SD), 14.3% moderately stunted (<-2SD) and 28.8% mildly stunted (<-1SD). As this study showed all age groups of schoolchildren were affected. However, age groups 13-15 years were significantly associated. Living in rural area was independently associated with increasing rate of stunting. Sex difference was no significant.
Highlights
Stunting is Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ) of equal to or less than minus two standard deviation (-2 SD) below the mean of a reference standard [1]
As this study showed all age groups of schoolchildren were affected
In 2012, Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) report showed that 44% of children under age five were stunted, and 21% of children were severely stunted [9]
Summary
Stunting is Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ) of equal to or less than minus two standard deviation (-2 SD) below the mean of a reference standard [1]. Stunting is a major public-health problem in low and middle-income countries because of its association with increased risk of mortality during childhood [2,3]. Increasing adverse ramifications of childhood under nutrition is recognized later in life, and it includes impaired cognitive development, poorer educational achievement and human capital formation [5] It is associated with poor developmental achievement in young children and poor school performance in older children [6,7]. Civil war and political instability are the major contributing factors This has serious implications because child health goals for the early part of the century have targeted at improvements in the rates of stunting. Stunting is a major public-health problem in low and middle-income countries, and it increases risk of morbidity and mortality during childhood.
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