Mekisso Selamawit Mathewos, Dake Samson Kastro, Haile Dibora Teferi, Nane Debritu
Department of Reproductive Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Health and Nutrition Camp Supervisor for the Nguenyyiel Refugee, Action Against Hunger, Gambela, Ethiopia.
Front Nutr. 2024 Dec 24;11:1503040. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1503040. eCollection 2024.
The primary cause of vitamin A deficiency in developing countries like Ethiopia is the inadequate consumption of vitamin A-rich foods. Preschool children are particularly vulnerable due to their higher nutritional requirements and increased susceptibility to infections. This study aims to assess the prevalence of inadequate consumption of vitamin A-rich foods and identify the associated factors among preschool children in Wolaita Sodo, Southern Ethiopia.
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage sampling to select 471 households with preschool children between July 15 and August 15, 2021. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify predictors of inadequate consumption of vitamin A-rich foods. Variables with a -value <0.25 in the bivariate analysis were included in the multivariable logistic regression. The strength of the associations was estimated using adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was determined at a -value <0.05.
The prevalence of inadequate consumption of Vitamin A-rich foods among pre-school children in this study was 381 (81.1%) with a 95% confidence interval of 77.3 to 84.9%. Predictors for inadequate consumption of Vitamin A rich foods were being a girl [AOR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.69], aged 46-59 months [AOR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.93], rural residence [AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.57], family size of five or more [AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.15, 4.86], household income of <2000 Ethiopian Birr [AOR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.18, 13.40], and morbidity in last 2 weeks [AOR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.74].
This study showed that the participants' consumption of vitamin A-rich food was inadequate. Greater emphasis be placed on food-based tactics to increase pre-schoolers' intake of foods high in vitamin A. Enhancing socioeconomic status is also crucial for increasing the intake of foods high in vitamin A.
在埃塞俄比亚等发展中国家，维生素A缺乏的主要原因是富含维生素A的食物摄入不足。学龄前儿童由于营养需求较高且更容易感染，因而特别脆弱。本研究旨在评估埃塞俄比亚南部沃莱塔索多地区学龄前儿童中富含维生素A的食物摄入不足的患病率，并确定相关因素。
于2021年7月15日至8月15日进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究，采用多阶段抽样方法选取了471户有学龄前儿童的家庭。使用SPSS 25版进行数据分析。采用二元逻辑回归来确定富含维生素A的食物摄入不足的预测因素。双变量分析中P值<0.25的变量纳入多变量逻辑回归。使用调整后的比值比及95%置信区间来估计关联强度。P值<0.05时确定具有统计学意义。
本研究中，学龄前儿童富含维生素A的食物摄入不足的患病率为381例（81.1%），95%置信区间为77.3%至84.9%。富含维生素A的食物摄入不足的预测因素为女性[AOR = 0.41，95% CI：0.24，0.69]、年龄46 - 59个月[AOR = 0.46，95% CI：0.23，0.93]、农村居住[AOR = 2.36，95% CI：1.22，4.57]、家庭规模为五口或更多[AOR = 2.36，95% CI：1.15，4.86]、家庭收入<2000埃塞俄比亚比尔[AOR = 3.98，95% CI：1.18，13.40]以及过去两周内发病[AOR = 0.36，95% CI：0.17，0.74]。
本研究表明参与者富含维生素A的食物摄入量不足。应更加重视基于食物的策略，以增加学龄前儿童对富含维生素A食物的摄入量。提高社会经济地位对于增加富含维生素A食物的摄入量也至关重要。
