Under nutrition and its associated factors among adolescent girls in rural community of Aseko district, Eastern Arsi Zone, Oromia region, Eastern Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a particularly unique period in life because it is a time of intense physical, psychosocial, and cognitive development. Objective: To assess the magnitude of under nutrition and associated factors among adolescent girls (10-19years old) in rural community of Aseko district, Arsi zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted on 683 adolescent girls. Body Mass Index for age and height for age was used to assess under nutrition of adolescent girls by using the new 2007 WHO Growth Reference. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Result: The magnitude of stunting and thinness in this study were 20.2% and 14.8% respectively. 1-2 times meat consumption per week (AOR=2.52, 95%CI: 1.04-6.11) and feeding of meal less than 3 times per day (AOR=1.67, 95%CI: 1.107-2.61) were factors significantly affecting low height for age and while adolescent pre-menstruation status (AOR=1.72, 95%CI: 1.03-2.88) and monotonies diet (AOR=2.35, 95%CI: 1.08-5.10) were factors associated with low body mass index for age of adolescent girls respectively. Conclusion: Under nutrition was prevalent among adolescent girls in Aseko district.