Adolescence is a period of rapid growth and maturation in human development, and that extra nutrients are needed to support their growth spurt. Adolescence is commonly regarded as a relatively healthy period of the life cycle. Indeed, adolescents are possibly less vulnerable to infection than they were at a younger age. This may contribute to their being neglected, And the reason for focusing on adolescents’ nutritional status is this period of life is a unique opportunity to break a range of vicious cycles of problems caused by malnutrition can be passed from one generation to the next. So this study aims to assess adolescent nutritional status and associated factors in secondary and preparatory school students of Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia. Institution based cross sectional study design was conducted in February 2013. Six schools were selected randomly from the total 23 and then 572 adolescents were selected using systematic random sampling. Data related socio-demographic and other determinants of adolescent nutritional status were collected using self administered questionnaire but, anthropometric measurements were conducted by trained data collectors. WHO Anthro-plus software was used to analyze Anthropometric measurements and Nutritional statuses of adolescents were determined using the CDC cut of point body mass index for age. Finally Biavriate and multivariate analyses were done to determine factors affecting the nutritional statues of adolescents. A total of 555 adolescents were participated with a response rate of 97%. The overall prevalence of wasting (thinness), overweight and obesity were 37.8%, 2%, and 0.4% respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done, being male at AOR 2.322 and 95% CI 1.58-3.39, adolescent’s father education AOR 2.43 and 95% CI 1.23-4.78, adolescents who works besides education at AOR 1.94 and 95% CI 1.071-2.371, respondents who consumed food contain pulse, legumes and lentils at AOR.635 and 95% CI .435-.925 were significantly associated with thinness. In general more than one third of schools going adolescents are thinner but, the prevalence of over nutrition is very low. Being male, father education, work beside education and consuming food containing pulse, legumes and Lentils are factors determine adolescent thinness. Based on the finding; there must be intersectoral collaboration among health sectors and education sectors to address adolescent nutrition problems, intervening nutrition related education and assessments targeting male adolescents in schools and community.

Background: Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in adolescent girls from the developing world. One of the recommended interventions to improve iron status in adolescent girls is iron supplementation. Yet the provision of iron supplements to adolescent girls proved to be a challenging task for the health systems across the developing world. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine means of reaching adolescent girls for iron supplementation in Northern Ethiopia. Methodology: Analytical cross-sectional study consisting of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis was used in this study. Stratified multi-stage systematic random sampling technique was adopted and primary quantitative data were collected from 828 (578 school attending and 250 non school attending) adolescent girls recruited from nine districts of Tigray. The primary quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. The qualitative data collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed. Results: The mean (SD) age of the girls was 16.7 (1.4) years. Four hundred forty seven (54%), 355 (42.9%) and 26 (3.1%) of the adolescent girls had low, medium and high diet diversity scores, respectively. More than half, 467 (56%), of the adolescent girls believed that adolescent girls were overloaded with household jobs everyday compared to boys from their respective communities. Key informants said that, there is no adolescent nutrition message promoted in the study area. Low community awareness, perceiving iron tablet as a contraceptive, religious and cultural influences, and lack of confidence in supplementation value of iron tablets, are some of the potential barriers mentioned by the key informant and focus group discussion participants. Schools (45%), health centers (27%) and health posts (26%) were the preferred public facilities for provision of iron supplements to student adolescent girls whereas schools (11%), health centers (47%) and health posts (41%) were the preferred public facilities for provision of iron supplements to adolescent girls who were not attending schools from the study communities. Conclusion: The health posts and health centers were the preferred health facilities for iron supplementation to adolescent girls who were not attending schools while the school was the preferred facility for iron supplementation of student adolescent girls.

Background: Inappropriate practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is still a major problem worldwide.Objective: To identify exclusive breastfeeding practice and its associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in Woldia Town.Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study was carried out.Interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilized to collect the data. The questionnaire was adapted from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. Hosmer-Lemeshowmodel was fitted at a P-value of 0.91. Finally, Variables having P-Value <0.05 with 95% CI was considered as significant factors.Result: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practice was 46.2% (95% CI: 42.0, 49.8). Being employed mothers (AOR=0.62,95% CI:0.44,0.87), being head of a household (AOR=0.52,95% CI:0.32,0.83),not g getting husband support (AOR:0.5,95%CI:0.34,0.74),not fed colostrum’s (AOR:0.36,95%CI:0.23,0.57),not affected by traditional belief (AOR:3.59,95% CI:2.09-6.17) shows significant association with Exclusive breast feeding practice.Conclusion: The prevalence of exclusive breast feeding practice was relatively lower than the National prevalence. Some demographic variable and traditional beliefs were significantly associated with exclusive breast feeding. Designing model policies that empower the role of women and eradicating bad traditional beliefs in the community is fundamental step. Keywords: Exclusive Breastfeeding; Breastfeeding practice; Breastfeeding Promotion.

Poor quality of complementary foods is a key contributor to undernutrition even with optimal breastfeeding. Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) has tremendous health and nutrition benefits but only 12% of Ethiopian children’s feeding practices meet its standards. The Ethiopian government has recently increased efforts to expand nutrition-sensitive irrigation to improve child nutrition. However, the impact that irrigation has brought on the minimum acceptable diet practice of children below two years has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to compare the magnitude of MAD practice and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in households with irrigated users and non-users of North Mecha district, Ethiopia. A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was employed among 824 mother-child pairs. For infant and young child feeding practices, the data collection tools were adapted from the World Health Organization’s standardized questionnaire developed in 2010. X2 test was used to compare the MAD practices of irrigated users’ and non-irrigated users. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to see the predictor variables. p-value < 0.05 was taken to declare statistical significance. The present study showed that the MAD practice of under two children in irrigated users is significantly higher than non-users (X2 = 13.91, P <.001). Maternal involvement in decision-making [AOR = 4.37, 95% CI: (2.05,9.33)], initiation of breastfeeding [AOR = 5.29, 95% CI: (2.393,11.672)], and history of illness [AOR = 4.10, 95%CI: (1.48,11.38)] were independent predictors for MAD practice among irrigated users. Whereas, maternal involvement in decision making [AOR = 4.71, 95% CI: ( 2.28, 9.75)], place of delivery [AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: ( 1.14, 5.55)], postnatal care (PNC) follow-up [AOR = 3.01, 95%CI: (1.57, 5.77)] and growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) service utilization [AOR = 4.64, 95% CI: (2.40, 8.95)] were the independent predictors among the non-users. MAD practice was much higher in irrigated users than in non-irrigated users. Involvement in a decision, place of delivery, PNC, and GMP are independent predictors of MAD in children from non-irrigated households. The study suggested that expanding access to irrigation to households may be the best approach to improve child nutrition.

Background : Low Birth Weight is a public health problem in Ethiopian. This study aimed to identify its determinant factors in Mekelle Zone, northern Ethiopia. Methods : Case control study design was employed on randomly selected 464 newborn. Baby measuring scale was used to weighing the newborn. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants factors, P < 0.05 and 95 % confidence level by using SPSS version 20 statistical software. Results : Maternal age <20 years (AOR = 2.9, 95 % CI: 1.55, 5.47), income < 2500 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 3.5, (95 % CI: 1.57, 7.95), gestation < 37 weeks (AOR= 4, 95% CI: 2.18, 7.29), hypertension (AOR= 2.6, 95% CI: 1.15, 6.07), anemia (AOR= 3.2, 95% CI: 1.70, 6.17), didn’t consume milk/week (AOR= 2.3, 95% CI: 1.02, 5.35), low dietary diversity (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.22, 6.19), MUAC < 23 cm (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.14, 4.04) were the identified determinants factors for low birth weight. Conclusions : Maternal age, income, history of hypertension and anemia, milk consumption, dietary diversity and maternal MUAC were the determinants Therefore, employing multisectoral coordinated intervention is essential to ending low birth weight.

Background Human Immune Virus (HIV) infection affects the maternal nutrition status. The co-existence of HIV and lactation further enhances the nutrient requirements of women and failure to meet this requirement influences her own and her children’s health. There is limited research on the extent and contributing factors of undernutrition among HIV-positive lactating mothers in Ethiopia. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of undernutrition and determine its associated factors among HIV-positive lactating women receiving care at public health facilities in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out from March 10 to April 20, 2020, involving 392 lactating mothers selected through a consecutive sampling method. Data collection was performed using a structured, pretested questionnaire administered by interviewers. The data were initially entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and later exported to SPSS version 23 for further statistical analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors linked to undernutrition, with statistical significance determined at a p-value of less than 0.05 and 95% confidence intervals. Adjusted odds ratios were used to interpret the strength and direction of associations between the dependent and independent variables. Results The prevalence of under nutrition among HIV-positive lactating women was 29.7%. Being in the age of 20–29 years (AOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.13, 4.23), poor wealth index (AOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.2, 6.4), inadequate dietary diversity score (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.13, 4.31), poor hygienic practice (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.09, 4.45) and WHO clinical stage II and III (AOR 10.71, 4.94,23.21, AOR 6.85, 95% CI 2.12, 22.29 respectively) were significant factorsassoCIated to under nutrition. Conclusion Under nutrition in HIV-positive lactating women was found to be high. Maternal age, wealth index, dietary diversity, hygienic practice, and WHO clinical stage were significant factors assoCIated to under nutrition. Thus, it is better to do more on; enhanCIng income-generating activities, improving hygienic practice, and proper treatment to enhance clinical improvement of HIV-positive lactating women.