Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences

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Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia

Received: 21 July 2014    Accepted: 29 July 2014    Published: 10 August 2014
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Abstract

Introduction: Orphan and vulnerable children are at high risk for malnutrition due to poor economic status, less medical and social care. Despite the high number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children with potential risk for malnutrition in Ethiopia, there is insufficient evidence that indicates the nutritional status as well as the effect of orphan hood and child vulnerability on nutritional status. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status and associated factors among Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Gondar City, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from August 01 to 30/2013 on under-five Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the guardians. The child’s nutritional status was assessed anthropometrically using a Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age and Weight-for-Height. Epi Info 3.5.1 was used to enter the data and both bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to test the association between nutritional status and independent variables. Results: The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 45.7%, 27.8% and 9.9% respectively. The main contributing factors for malnutrition were family size, age of children, caregiver educational status, and main source of income, Households income, Vitamin A Supplementation, number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children and two weeks period diarrheal disease prior to the study. Conclusion: - The prevalence of malnutrition in children below the age of five was high. To improve the nutritional status of those Children, comprehensive nutrition intervention strategy needs to designed and strengthen the economic status of the households by income generating techniques.

DOI 10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23
Published in Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences (Volume 2, Issue 4, July 2014)
Page(s) 179-184
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Malnutrition, Orphan and Under-Five Children, Gondar City, Cross Sectional Study

References
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[3] UNICEF.A Joint Report of New Orphan Estimates and a Framework for Action. Geneva: UNICEF; 2004
[4] Subbarao. Social Protection of Africa’s Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children. New York: World Bank; 2001
[5] Florence N.Sub-National Distribution and Situation of Orphan, An Analysis of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Focus Countries. .New York: PEPFAR; 2004
[6] Vinod, M. Orphans and Vulnerable Children in High HIV-Prevalence Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2008[Cited2013June20]. Available from: www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/AS15/AS15.pdf.
[7] Kelley L. (2009) Highlighting Positive Changes in the Lives of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia. 2009[cited 2013 June 20].Available from: www.crin.org/docs/Faces%20of%20Positive%20Change.pdf
[8] Ethiopian Federal ministry of health. Single point HIV estimation. Addis Ababa: Ethiopian federal ministry of health;2007
[9] Ethiopia P. COP REPORT. Addis Ababa: Ethiopian government;2010
[10] World health organization. Third report on the world nutrition.Geneva:WHO;1972
[11] Ethiopia Government. Report on Progress in Implementing the World Fit for Children Plan of Action in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa:Ethiopian government;2007
[12] Sguassero, Y. (2007) communtity based supplement feeding for promoting the growth of young children in developing countries.2007[Cited 2013 June 21].Available from: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD005039.pub2/pdf
[13] Pelletier D, Schroeder D, Habicht J. The effects of malnutrition on child mortality in developing countries. Bulletin of the world health organization.1995; 73:443-8.
[14] Ethiopia Central Statistics Agency. Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2012 report . Addis Ababa: ESCA;2012
[15] USAID. Nutrition of young children and mothers, Africa nutrition chart books. Maryland: USAID;2005
[16] Panpanich BB, Gonani A, Graham S. Are orphans at increased risk of malnutrition in Malawi? Ann Trop Paediatr.199; 19(3):279-85.
[17] Raphael O. Prevalence and Determinants of Malnutrition among Under-five Children of Farming Households in Kwara State. Journal of Agricultural Science.2011; 3(3).
[18] Teshom B, Getahun Z, Taye G. Magnitude and determinant of stunting in children under five years of age in food surplus region of Ethiopia: The case of west Gojam zone. Ethiop J Health Dev. 2009; 23(2):98-106.
[19] Kandala EA. Malnutrition among children under the age of five in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): does geographic location matter? BMC Public Health.2009;11(261).
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[21] Endris M. Assessment of nutritional status of pre-school children of Gumbert, Northwest Ethiopia. EthiopJHealth Dev.2007; 21(2).
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Author Information
  • College of Medicine and health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia

  • North Shoa zone health Bureau, Debrebirhan, Ethiopia

  • College of medicine and health science, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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    Teklemariam Gultie, Endalkew Sisay, Girum Sebsibie. (2014). Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2(4), 179-184. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23

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    ACS Style

    Teklemariam Gultie; Endalkew Sisay; Girum Sebsibie. Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2014, 2(4), 179-184. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23

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    AMA Style

    Teklemariam Gultie, Endalkew Sisay, Girum Sebsibie. Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia. J Food Nutr Sci. 2014;2(4):179-184. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23,
      author = {Teklemariam Gultie and Endalkew Sisay and Girum Sebsibie},
      title = {Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia},
      journal = {Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences},
      volume = {2},
      number = {4},
      pages = {179-184},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfns.20140204.23},
      abstract = {Introduction: Orphan and vulnerable children are at high risk for malnutrition due to poor economic status, less medical and social care. Despite the high number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children with potential risk for malnutrition in Ethiopia, there is insufficient evidence that indicates the nutritional status as well as the effect of orphan hood and child vulnerability on nutritional status. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status and associated factors among Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Gondar City, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from August 01 to 30/2013 on under-five Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the guardians. The child’s nutritional status was assessed anthropometrically using a Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age and Weight-for-Height. Epi Info 3.5.1 was used to enter the data and both bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to test the association between nutritional status and independent variables. Results: The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 45.7%, 27.8% and 9.9% respectively. The main contributing factors for malnutrition were family size, age of children, caregiver educational status, and main source of income, Households income, Vitamin A Supplementation, number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children and two weeks period diarrheal disease prior to the study. Conclusion: - The prevalence of malnutrition in children below the age of five was high. To improve the nutritional status of those Children, comprehensive nutrition intervention strategy needs to designed and strengthen the economic status of the households by income generating techniques.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Orphan Children below the Age of Five Years in Gondar City, Ethiopia
    AU  - Teklemariam Gultie
    AU  - Endalkew Sisay
    AU  - Girum Sebsibie
    Y1  - 2014/08/10
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23
    T2  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JF  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JO  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    SP  - 179
    EP  - 184
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-7293
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20140204.23
    AB  - Introduction: Orphan and vulnerable children are at high risk for malnutrition due to poor economic status, less medical and social care. Despite the high number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children with potential risk for malnutrition in Ethiopia, there is insufficient evidence that indicates the nutritional status as well as the effect of orphan hood and child vulnerability on nutritional status. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status and associated factors among Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Gondar City, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from August 01 to 30/2013 on under-five Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the guardians. The child’s nutritional status was assessed anthropometrically using a Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age and Weight-for-Height. Epi Info 3.5.1 was used to enter the data and both bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to test the association between nutritional status and independent variables. Results: The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 45.7%, 27.8% and 9.9% respectively. The main contributing factors for malnutrition were family size, age of children, caregiver educational status, and main source of income, Households income, Vitamin A Supplementation, number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children and two weeks period diarrheal disease prior to the study. Conclusion: - The prevalence of malnutrition in children below the age of five was high. To improve the nutritional status of those Children, comprehensive nutrition intervention strategy needs to designed and strengthen the economic status of the households by income generating techniques.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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