Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia

Introduction: Thinness among adolescent girls has not received due to attention in many developing countries including Ethiopia. However, adolescence period is the last window of opportunity to implement strategies to correct potential growth deficits thereby breaking the vicious cycle of intergener...

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Main Authors: Aregawi Amha, Tadele Girum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
Series:Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2018;volume=11;issue=2;spage=158;epage=164;aulast=Amha
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author Aregawi Amha
Tadele Girum
author_facet Aregawi Amha
Tadele Girum
author_sort Aregawi Amha
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Thinness among adolescent girls has not received due to attention in many developing countries including Ethiopia. However, adolescence period is the last window of opportunity to implement strategies to correct potential growth deficits thereby breaking the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of thinness and associated factors among adolescent girls. Methods: School-based cross-sectional study design was employed from April to May 2014. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 823 adolescent girl students. Data were collected using interviewer-administered technique using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Five nurses as data collectors and three BSc nurse supervisors were included in the study. Data were entered into EPI INFO version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 20 software and WHO AnthroPlus software for analysis. Descriptive statistics was performed. Binary logistic regression was fitted, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and P value was calculated to identify associated factors. Results: The overall prevalence of thinness in this study area was 12.6%. Age of the respondent (adjusted OR [AOR] =2.7, 95% CI: 1.4, 5.3), education status of mother (AOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 3.3, 6.5), menstruation status (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.9), individual dietary diversity (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.3, 7.0), and wealth index (AOR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.6) were significantly associated with thinness of adolescent girls. Conclusion and Recommendation: Thinness was found to be a serious problem in the study area. Strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls before they reach conception to break the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition.
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spelling doaj.art-4d5c9819bce740bf9edb5203a7b30a892022-12-22T02:28:01ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsMedical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth2589-83022589-83102018-01-0111215816410.4103/MJDRDYPU.MJDRDYPU_153_17Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern EthiopiaAregawi AmhaTadele GirumIntroduction: Thinness among adolescent girls has not received due to attention in many developing countries including Ethiopia. However, adolescence period is the last window of opportunity to implement strategies to correct potential growth deficits thereby breaking the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of thinness and associated factors among adolescent girls. Methods: School-based cross-sectional study design was employed from April to May 2014. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 823 adolescent girl students. Data were collected using interviewer-administered technique using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Five nurses as data collectors and three BSc nurse supervisors were included in the study. Data were entered into EPI INFO version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 20 software and WHO AnthroPlus software for analysis. Descriptive statistics was performed. Binary logistic regression was fitted, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and P value was calculated to identify associated factors. Results: The overall prevalence of thinness in this study area was 12.6%. Age of the respondent (adjusted OR [AOR] =2.7, 95% CI: 1.4, 5.3), education status of mother (AOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 3.3, 6.5), menstruation status (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.9), individual dietary diversity (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.3, 7.0), and wealth index (AOR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.6) were significantly associated with thinness of adolescent girls. Conclusion and Recommendation: Thinness was found to be a serious problem in the study area. Strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls before they reach conception to break the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition.http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2018;volume=11;issue=2;spage=158;epage=164;aulast=AmhaAdolescent girlsanthropometrygrowththinness
spellingShingle Aregawi Amha
Tadele Girum
Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth
Adolescent girls
anthropometry
growth
thinness
title Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
title_full Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
title_fullStr Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
title_short Prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia
title_sort prevalence and associated factors of thinness among adolescent girls attending governmental schools in aksum town northern ethiopia
topic Adolescent girls
anthropometry
growth
thinness
url http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2018;volume=11;issue=2;spage=158;epage=164;aulast=Amha
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AT tadelegirum prevalenceandassociatedfactorsofthinnessamongadolescentgirlsattendinggovernmentalschoolsinaksumtownnorthernethiopia