Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Under Five Children in Semen Shoa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Proper nutrition is one of the most fundamental aspects of health care. Based on weight–for–age anthropometric index (Z–score) child nutrition status is categorized into three groups severely undernourished (<-3.0), moderately undernourished (-3.0 to -2.00) and nourished (> -2.0). This study was conducted to identify the determinant factors of under-five children’s malnutrition in North Shoa Zone, Amhara Region Ethiopia using ordinal logistic regression model. Community based Cross-Sectional study design was used to collect data from December 2016 to June 2017. A stratified sampling technique was adopted to select 500 under-five age children of the zone and descriptive statistics, bivariate and ordinal logistic regression model were used to analyse the data and identify predictor variables of the dependent variable of Malnutrition. Results of the study showed that prevalence of severely malnutrition in the study area was 34.2%, underweight, 41.5% stunting and 24.3% wasting. The percentage distributions of child malnutrition status differ by their feeding status. Accordingly, out of those who had low feeding status were 46.5% severely malnourished, were 22.3% mildly malnourished and 31.2% were nourished. The OLR model – proportional odds model showed that child feeding status, duration of breast feeding, distance to health center, size of child at birth, had fever in the last 2 weeks, when child put to breast, had diarrhea in the last two weeks and preceding birth interval are found to be significant predictors of child malnutrition status. Children who were small in size at the time of birth need special care because those children are more likely to be under nourished. Furthermore, Children who have low feeding status are more at risk, so the concerned bodies should plan to address those problems.