Seasonal Variation of Household Food Insecurity and Household Dietary Diversity on Wasting and Stunting among Young Children in A Drought Prone Area in South Ethiopia: A Cohort Study
Mehretu Belayneh, Eskindir Loha, Bernt Lindtjørn
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate seasonal patterns of household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and household characteristics on wasting and stunting among children in households followed for 1 year in the drought-prone areas of Sidama, Ethiopia. A cohort study design was employed. Data were collected on the pre-harvest season (March and June) and post-harvest season (September and December) of 2017. We studied 935 children aged 6 to 47 months. At four seasons over a year, we had 3,449 observations from 897 households and 82% (2,816) (95% CI: 80.3–82.9) were food in-secured households. Severe food insecurity was higher in the pre-harvest (March; food scarcity season) which was 69% as compared to 50% of September (P < .001). From 3,312 observations, 43% (1,408) (95% CI: 40.8-44.2) of children were stunted. Stunting showed seasonal variations with 36% (95% CI: 32.5-39.0) in March and 48% (95% CI: 45.0-51.8) in December. Six percent (95% CI: 4.8-6.3) of children were wasted, with higher prevalence in March (8%) as compared to 3% of September (P < .001). Moreover, household characteristics such as poverty level, education, occupation and the household food insecurity and dietary diversity were associated with subsequent wasting or stunting.