title: Low Dietary Diversity and Intake of Animal Source Foods among School Aged Children in Libo Kemkem and Fogera Districts, Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A low dietary diversity score (DDS) and low consumption of food from animal sources (ASF) are among the factors related to malnutrition in school-aged children living in Libo Kemkem and Fogera (Ethiopia).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify associated determinants for low dietary diversity and lack of consumption of ASF.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2009, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in May, at the end of the lean season. Socio-demographic characteristics and diet habits were collected from 886 school-aged children. Additionally, 516 children from rural sites were followed up in the post-harvest season, in December of the same year. Bivariate and multivariable statistical methods were employed to assess low DDS and ASF intake and their association with different factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Up to 80% and 60% of school-aged children living in rural and urban sites, respectively, ate ≤ 3 food groups the day before the survey. The percentage of children consuming ASF was significantly higher in urban settings (64% vs 18%). In the rural areas, if the head of the household was male (OR: 1.91; 95%CI: 1.00-3.65) and older than 40 years (OR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.02-2.38) the child had a lower DDS in the lean season, while differences by socioeconomic indexes were observed in the post-harvest season. Males took more ASF than females in rural settings (OR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.14-2.62) and differences by socioeconomic indexes were observed in both settings in the lean season, though not in post-harvest survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study revealed that the diet among school-aged children in Libo Kemkem and Fogera districts lacked diversity, and that the intake of foods from animal sources was low, especially among rural girls. To effectively tackle malnutrition, dietary diversification strategies oriented to the local needs are recommended.
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Tropical Diseases Research Network (RICET in Spanish), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Herrador
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Epidemiology, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Spanish Field Epidemiology Training Program (PEAC, in Spanish), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez-Formigo
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Epidemiology, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Network Biomedical Research Centers, Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sordo
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Endalamaw
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gadisa
authors.affiliation: Tropical Diseases Research Network (RICET in Spanish), Madrid, Spain; National Centre of Microbiology, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Tropical Diseases Research Network (RICET in Spanish), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benito
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aseffa
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Tropical Diseases Research Network (RICET in Spanish), Madrid, Spain; Monitoring Agricultural Resources Unit-H04, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission Joint Research Center, Ispra, Italy.
authors.forename: Estefania
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Custodio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005002:Ethiopia; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population