Nutritional status of pre-school children in northwest Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the nutritional status of pre-school children of the farmers and to examine factors associated with malnutrition.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical components.


METHODS
Dera Woreda, north west Ethiopia.


METHODS
Three hundred seventy six children below five years of age.


METHODS
Land size, economic income.


RESULTS
The nutritional status of the pre-school children was assessed by using the indicators weight for age (W/A), weight for height (W/H), and height for age (HA) and 2SD as a cut-off point of the NCHS reference standard. The overall malnutrition rate was found to be very high, 51.9%, 12.5% and 55.9% W/A, W/H and H/A, respectively. The mean land size per household was 2.4 ha; and the mean annual income was 673 Ethiopia Birr.


CONCLUSIONS
Income was the most important factor in determining nutritional status. Since the means of income in farming families is the amount of land available to each family, the land size available to each farming family is decisive. Knowledge of parents on how to prepare food and feed their children and the allocation of budget for food of the households should also be considered.
Yusuf
M E
ME
Gondar College of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data