Ahmed A. Abdurahman
Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Iran
Title: Household Food Insecurity may Predict Underweight and Wasting among Children Aged 24-59 Months
Biography
Biography: Ahmed A. Abdurahman
Abstract
Food insecurity is the result of a complex interplay of factors and it is a major factor contributing to hunger and malnutrition. The aim of this study was to examine the association between household food insecurity and nutritional status among children aged 24 to 59 months in Haromaya district in Ethiopia. A community-based cross sectional study with a representative sample of households selected by a multistage sampling procedure was used (n = 453). Household Food Insecurity Access Scale questionnaire and anthropometry were administered. Chi-square test was used to test association between household food insecurity and under nutrition. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to select variables that are candidate for multivariable model. The result revealed that prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting is 61.1 percent, 28.1 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively. The mean household food insecurity access scale score was 3.34, more than one-thirds of households (39.7%) experienced some degree of food insecurity. By logistic regression analysis and after adjusting for the confounding factors (Sex of household head, child age, child sex and size of the family), household food insecurity was significantly predicting underweight (OR=2.48, C.I=1.17-5.24) and marginally significant for wasting (OR=0.53, C.I=0.27-1.03). However, there was no significant association between household food insecurity and height for age and body mass index for age. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that household food insecurity was significantly predicting underweight and marginal significant for wasting. Accordingly, household food security improves child growth and nutritional status.