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 3,488 observations, 44% (1,533) (95% CI: 42.3–45.6) of children were stunted. Stunting showed seasonal variations with 38% (95% CI: 34.7–41.0) in March and 49% (95% CI: 45.8–52.5) in December. Six percent (95% CI: 5.0–6.6) 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 and stunting.

摘要

本研究旨在评估家庭粮食不安全的季节性模式、饮食多样性，以及在埃塞俄比亚锡达马干旱易发地区随访 1 年的家庭中儿童消瘦和发育迟缓的家庭特征。采用队列研究设计。收集了 2017 年收获前季节（3 月和 6 月）和收获后季节（9 月和 12 月）的数据。我们研究了 935 名 6 至 47 个月的儿童。在一年的四个季节中，我们从 897 个家庭中进行了 3,449 次观察，其中 82% (2,816) (95% CI: 80.3–82.9) 是粮食无保障家庭。收获前（3 月；粮食短缺季节）的严重粮食不安全程度更高，为 69%，而 9 月为 50%（P< .001）。在 3,488 次观察中，44% (1,533)（95% CI：42.3–45.6）的儿童发育迟缓。发育迟缓表现出季节性变化，3 月份为 38%（95% CI：34.7-41.0），12 月份为 49%（95% CI：45.8-52.5）。6% (95% CI: 5.0–6.6) 的儿童消瘦，3 月份的患病率 (8%) 高于 9 月份的 3% ( P < .001)。此外，贫困水平、教育、职业以及家庭粮食不安全和饮食多样性等家庭特征与随后的消瘦和发育迟缓有关。