Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nutritional status of school children in eastern Hararghe administrative zone, eastern Ethiopia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of school children in eight elementary schools in Eastern Ethiopia.

Subjects and methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 1523 schoolchildren. The study subjects’ height and weight were measured via anthropometric measurements, and their nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric indicators of the body mass index for age and height-for-age. The data were analyzed by AnthroPlus software and SPSS version 16.

Results

One thousand five hundred twenty-three schoolchildren whose age ranged from 6 to 18 years participated in the study. The prevalence of stunting was 17.1%, thinness 17.9%, and over-nutrition 5.6% (overweight accounted for 4.4% and obesity 1.2%). Children aged 15–18 years were found to be more stunted than the children aged 6–9 years (AOR = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.08) and 10–14 (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.45). Children aged 15–18 years were also significantly thin for age compared with those aged 6–9 years (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.18, 0.56) and 10–14 (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.19, 0.59). Children from rural residences were significantly stunted (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.26, 0.51) and overnurished (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.25, 0.71) compared with the children from urban areas. Children who lived in urban areas were also significantly thin for age compared with those who lived in rural areas (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.87).

Conclusion

Undernutrition was an important problem among the school children in the study area. Stunting and thinness were significantly increased in the higher age group. Therefore, more effort should be made to improve the nutritional status of children aged 15–18 years in both the rural and urban study areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abuya BA, Ciera J, Kimani-Murage E (2012) Effect of mother’s education on child’s nutritional status in the slums of Nairobi. BMC Pediatr 12:80

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Akombi BJ, Agho KE, Merom D, Renzaho AM, Hall JJ (2017) Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis of emographic and health surveys (2006–2016). PLoS One 12(5):e0177338

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Alemu E, Atnafu Y, Yimam K (2014) Prevalence of overweight and/or obesity and associated factors among high school adolescents in Arada sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. J Nutr Food Sci 4:2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amare B, Moges B, Fantahun B, Tafess K, Woldeyohannes D, Yismaw G, Ayane T, Yabutani T, Mulu M, Ota F, Kassu A (2012) Micronutrient levels and nutritional status of school children living in Northwest Ethiopia. Nutr J 11:108

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Amare B, Ali J, Moges B, Yismaw G, Belyhun Y, Gebretsadik S, Woldeyohannes TK, Abate E, Endris M, Tegabu D, Mulu A, Ota F, Fantahun B, Kassu A (2013) Nutritional status, intestinal parasite infection and allergy among school children in Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Pediatr 13:7

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Best C, Neufingerl N, van Geel L, van den Briel T, Osendarp S (2010) The nutritional status of school-aged children: why should we care? Food Nutr Bull 31(3):400–417

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burke GL, Bertoni AG, Shea S (2008) The impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease risk factors and subclinical vascular disease: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Arch Intern Med 168(9):928–935

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen MJ, Garrett JL (2010) The food price crisis and urban food (in) security. Environ Urban 22:467–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daboné C, Delisle HF, Receveur O (2011) Poor nutritional status of schoolchildren in urban and peri-urban areas of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Nutr J 10:34

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Daniel WW (1995) Biostatistics a foundation for analysis in the health science, 6th edn. Willey, New York, p 155

    Google Scholar 

  • de Onis M, Onyango AW, Borghi E, Siyam A, Nishida C, Siekmann J (2007) Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents. Bull World Health Organ 85:660–667

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • De Waal A, Whiteside A (2003) New variant famine: AIDS and food crisis in southern Africa. Lancet 362:1234–1237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • EDHS (Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey) (2016) Central Statistical Agency and ICF International

  • FAO (2006) The double burden of undernutrition: case studies from six developing countries. FAO food and nutrition paper 84

  • Fazili A, Mir AA, Pandit IM, Bhat IA, Rohul J, Shamila H (2012) Nutritional status of school age children (5-14 years) in a rural health block of North India (Kashmir) using WHO Z-score system. Online J Health Allied Scs 11(2):2

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis L, Kirunda BE, Orach CG (2012) Intestinal helminth infections and nutritional status of children attending primary schools in Wakiso District, Central Uganda. Int J Environ Res Public Health 9:2910–2921

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Groeneveld IF, Solomons NW, Doak CM (2007) Nutritional status of urban schoolchildren of high and low socioeconomic status in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Am J Public Health 22:3

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall A, Kassa T, Demissie T, Degefie T, Lee S (2008) National survey of the health and nutrition of schoolchildren in Ethiopia. Trop Med Int Health 13(12):1518–1526

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herrador Z, Sordo L, Gadisa E, Moreno J, Nieto J, Benito A, Aseffa A, Cañavate C, Custodio E (2014) Cross-sectional study of malnutrition and associated factors among school aged children in rural and urban settings of Fogera and Libo Kemkem districts, Ethiopia. PLoS One 9(9):e105880

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Junaibi AA, Abdulle A, Sabri S, Hag-Ali M, Nagelkerke N (2013) The prevalence and potential determinants of obesity among school children and adolescents in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates. Int J Obes 37:68–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levecke B, De Wilde N, Vandenhoute E, Vercruysse J (2009) Field validity and feasibility of four techniques for the detection of Trichuris in simians: a model for monitoring drug efficacy in public health. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 3(1):e366

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lwambo NJ, Brooker S, Siza JE, Bundy DA, Guyatt H (2000) Age patterns in stunting and anaemia in African schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study in Tanzania. Eur J Clin Nutr 54:36–40

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marie NG, Fleming T, Robinson M et al (2014) Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2013. Lancet 384:766–781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall SJ, Biddle SJH, Gorely T, Cameron N, Murdey I (2004) Relationship between media use, body fatness and physical activity in children and youth: a meta-analysis. Int J Obes 28:1238–1246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mekonnen H, Tadesse T, Kisi T (2013) Undernutrition and its correlates among rural primary school children of Fogera District, Northwest Ethiopia. J Nutr Disorders Ther S12:002

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitra M, Kumar PV, Chakrabarty S, Bharati P (2007) Nutritional status of Kamar tribe children in Chhattisgarh. Indian J Pediatr 74:381–384

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miyoshi M, Phommasack B, Nakamura S, Kuroiwa C (2005) Nutritional status of children in rural Lao PDR: who are the most vulnerable? Eur J Clin Nutr 59:887–890

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Müller O, Krawinkel M (2005) Undernutrition and health in developing countries. CMAJ 173(3):279–286

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mulugeta A, Hagos F, Stoecker B, Kruseman G, Linderhof V, Abraha Z, Yohannes M, Samuel GG (2009) Nutritional status of adolescent girls from rural communities of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev 23(1):5–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mwaniki EW, Makokha AN (2013) Nutrition status and associated factors among children in public primary schools in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya. Afr Health Sci 13(1):39–46

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nabag FO (2011) Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural school girl’s children Khartoum state, Sudan. J Sci Technol 12:02

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen DM, El-Serag HB (2010) The epidemiology of obesity. Gastroenterol Clin N Am 39(1):1–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen NL, Gelaye B, Aboset N, Kumie A, Williams MA, Berhane Y (2012) Intestinal parasitic infection and nutritional status among school children in Angolela, Ethiopia. J Prev Med Hyg 53:157–164

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Oninla SO, Owa JA, Onayade AA, Taiwo O (2007) Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural Nigerian school children. J Trop Pediatr 53(1):39–43

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parraga I (2006) Growth deficits in school age children in Brazil. Am J Clin Nutr 50:687–696

    Google Scholar 

  • Partnership for Child Development (1998) The anthropometric status of schoolchildren in five countries in the Partnership for Child Development. Proc Nutr Soc 57:149–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prista A, Mai JAR, Damasceno A, Beunen G (2003) Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status: implications for fitness, activity, and health in school-age children and adolescents from Maputo, Mozambique. Am J Clin Nutr 77:952–959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reji P, Belay G, Erko B, Legesse M, Belay M (2011) Intestinal parasitic infections and undernutrition amongst first-cycle primary schoolchildren in Adama, Ethiopia. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med 3:1

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs JD, McArthur JW (2005) The millennium project: a plan for meeting the millennium development goals. Lancet 365:347–353

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart CP, Christian P, LeClerq SC, West KP, Khatry SK (2009) Antenatal supplementation with folic acid + iron + zinc improve linear growth and reduces peripheral adiposity in school age children in rural Nepal. Am J Clin Nutr 90:132–140

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tadesse G (2005) The prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections and associated risk factors among school children in Babile town, eastern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev 19(2):140–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teshome T, Singh P, Moges D (2013) Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among high school adolescents in urban communities of Hawassa, southern Ethiopia. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci J 1(1):23–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO AnthroPlus for personal computers Manual (2009) Software for assessing growth of the world’s children and adolescents. Geneva, Switzerland

  • WHO (1995) Physical status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO expert committee. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser 854:1–452

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Haramaya University research and publication office for budget allocation and all the participants for their willingness to participate in this study. We would also like to extend our thanks to each district and town administration health and educational bureau and director, the teachers in each studied school and Ms. Serawit Tamrat and Ms. Meskerem Yeshitla for their unreserved support during data collection and sample processing.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia

    Habtamu Mitiku, Desalegn Admassu, Zelalem Teklemariam & Fitsum Weldegebreal

  2. School of Pharmacy, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia

    Abrahm Nigusse

Authors
  1. Habtamu Mitiku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Desalegn Admassu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zelalem Teklemariam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fitsum Weldegebreal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abrahm Nigusse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed equally to all aspects of this research work and have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Habtamu Mitiku.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest associated with the publication of this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mitiku, H., Admassu, D., Teklemariam, Z. et al. Nutritional status of school children in eastern Hararghe administrative zone, eastern Ethiopia. J Public Health (Berl.) 27, 111–118 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-018-0919-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-018-0919-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation