Under nutrition and associated factors among school adolescents in Ethiopia

Background: Adolescence, defined as the age range of 10-19 years, is a critical period marked by significant physical and psychological growth. During this time, individuals gain approximately one-third of their adult weight and more than one-fifth of their adult height. This makes adolescents particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition among school adolescents in the Wonago district, Gedeo Zone, South Ethiopia. Methods: The study involved 443 randomly selected school adolescents from the Wonago district. Nutritional status was evaluated using body mass index for age z-score (BAZ) and height for age z-score. The prevalence of thinness, along with other anthropometric measurements and socio-economic and socio-demographic variables, was described descriptively. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with undernutrition (thinness) among adolescents. Results: The findings indicated that 11.6% of adolescents were undernourished (thin). Female adolescents had a 70% lower likelihood of being undernourished. Those whose primary source of drinking water was spring were four times more likely to experience malnutrition. Adolescents from households with medium wealth status had an 85% reduced likelihood of being undernourished. Additionally, adolescents whose families obtained food through purchase and whose fathers were merchants showed a higher risk of undernutrition. Conversely, those with mothers working as farmers had an 85% lower probability of being undernourished. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that 11.6% of adolescents in the study were undernourished. Factors such as sex, parental occupation, household wealth, source of drinking water, and the means of obtaining food were significantly associated with the nutritional status of adolescents.