An assessment of the causes of malnutrition in Ethiopia: A ...
An assessment of the causes of malnutrition in Ethiopia: A ...
An assessment of the causes of malnutrition in Ethiopia: A ...
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Table 2.5: Child wast<strong>in</strong>g and stunt<strong>in</strong>g prevalence <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong> by expenditure qu<strong>in</strong>tile<br />
(1999/00), percent <strong>of</strong> children aged 6 - 59 months.<br />
Nutritional<br />
Indicator<br />
Expenditure Qu<strong>in</strong>tile<br />
Poorest 2 3 4 Least Poor Correlation<br />
Wasted 9.5 10.3 10.1 7.8 9.5 -0.3838<br />
Severely<br />
wasted<br />
1.5 2.6 2.6 1.6 1.9 -0.0392<br />
Stunted 59.8 57.9 56.6 56.8 47.4 -0.8207<br />
Severely<br />
stunted<br />
36.3 33.3 30.2 28.4 23.4 -0.9798<br />
Source: MOFED 2002a, 52 & 55.<br />
Table 2.5 shows that prevalence rate <strong>of</strong> child stunt<strong>in</strong>g, as a measure <strong>of</strong> chronic <strong>malnutrition</strong>,<br />
was strongly correlated with expenditure qu<strong>in</strong>tiles. Thus households with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
expenditure qu<strong>in</strong>tile have lower rates <strong>of</strong> prevalence <strong>of</strong> stunted and severely stunted children<br />
than those <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r qu<strong>in</strong>tiles. However, <strong>the</strong> correlation between <strong>the</strong> prevalence rate <strong>of</strong> wast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(low weight for height – an <strong>in</strong>dicator <strong>of</strong> acute <strong>malnutrition</strong>) and expenditure qu<strong>in</strong>tiles is weak<br />
and not statistically significant.<br />
The results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> DHS 2000 survey for <strong>Ethiopia</strong> show a positive relationship between<br />
mo<strong>the</strong>rs’ education and <strong>the</strong> nutritional status <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir children as presented <strong>in</strong> Table 2.4. The<br />
prevalence rate <strong>of</strong> stunt<strong>in</strong>g decl<strong>in</strong>es from about 53 percent for children whose mo<strong>the</strong>rs have<br />
no education to about 33 percent for children with mo<strong>the</strong>rs who attended secondary<br />
education. The proportionate decl<strong>in</strong>e with <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r’s educational level is even<br />
greater for those children who suffer from severe stunt<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
2.2.4. Micronutrient Deficiencies<br />
Vitam<strong>in</strong> A Deficiency (VAD): Vitam<strong>in</strong> A is an essential micronutrient for normal<br />
vision. Its deficiency may result <strong>in</strong> progressive night bl<strong>in</strong>dness and Bitot’s spots, corneal<br />
scars, and vision disorders, among o<strong>the</strong>rs. A nationwide study among school children has<br />
confirmed that Bitot’s spot was present <strong>in</strong> 1 percent <strong>of</strong> all children, with <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
prevalence <strong>in</strong> pastoral (1.6 percent) and food crop-produc<strong>in</strong>g (1.1 percent) areas and <strong>the</strong><br />
lowest <strong>in</strong> cash crop produc<strong>in</strong>g (0.4 percent) and enset production (0.0 percent) areas (Zewditu<br />
et al. 2001, 62). The WHO cut<strong>of</strong>f for Bitot’s spot to <strong>in</strong>dicate a high prevalence <strong>of</strong> VAD is 0.5<br />
percent. In addition to supplementation programs for Vitam<strong>in</strong> A, <strong>the</strong> consumption <strong>of</strong> Vitam<strong>in</strong><br />
Table 2.4: Educational level <strong>of</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r and <strong>the</strong> prevalence rate <strong>of</strong> stunt<strong>in</strong>g, percent <strong>of</strong> children<br />
aged 6 - 59 months.<br />
Nutritional status<br />
<strong>of</strong> children<br />
Mo<strong>the</strong>r’s educational level<br />
No<br />
Education<br />
Primary<br />
Education<br />
Secondary<br />
Education<br />
Stunted 52.9 49.1 32.9<br />
Severely stunted 27.5 22.4 11.0<br />
Source: CSA & ORC Macro 2001, 154.<br />
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