Nutritional Status and Educational Performance of School-Aged Children in Lalibela Town Primary Schools, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Every student has the potential to do well in school. Failing to provide good nutrition puts them at risk for missing out on meeting that potential and leads to long-term irreversible damage to cognitive development. However, taking action today to provide healthier choices in schools can help set students up for a successful future full of possibilities. So, this study is aimed at assessing the effect of nutritional status on academic performance of school-aged children. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from Feb 05- March 30, 2017 in Lalibela town. A total of 505 primary school students were included in the study. The child anthropometric measures were calculated using AnthroPlus software version 1.0.4 WHO 2007 standards. Bivariable and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were fitted. The proportional odds ratio (POR) with a 95% CI and P value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight, and thinness was 29.5%, 35.7%, and 29.5%, respectively. In this study, 14.7% of the study participants had low academic achievement in the semester. The multivariable analysis showed that rural residence (POR=0.39; 95% CI: (0.21, 0.75)), not studying regularly (POR=0.49; 95% CI: (0.29, 0.82)), severe underweight (POR=0.25; 95% CI: (0.09, 0.71)), and severe stunting (POR=0.03; 95% CI: (0.01, 0.37)) were associated with decreased odds of high average semester score achievement of school-aged children. Additionally, higher maternal educational status (POR=2.12; 95% CI: (1.10, 4.07)) and family income from 550 to 2999 ETB (POR=1.71; 95% CI: (1.04, 2.81)) were associated with increased odds of high semester average score achievement. Conclusion. Nearly one-third of school-aged children in Lalibela town were stunted, thin, and underweight. Rural place of residence, not studying regularly study, underweight, and stunting were associated with decreased academic achievement. While, family monthly income from 550 to 2999 ETB and higher maternal education status were associated with increased academic achievement.

Under-nutrition and its determinants among school-aged children in northwest Ethiopia

“…It is comparable with the results of the study conducted in Haik Town, Northeastern Ethiopia [ 26 ], Fogera and Libo Kemkem Districts, Northwestern Ethiopia [ 27 ], and Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia [ 28 ]. However, it was higher than the study results conducted in Lalibela Town, Northern Ethiopia where 29.5% of subjects were stunted [ 29 ], Northwestern Ethiopia where 37.9% were stunted [ 30 ], in Dale Woreda, Southern Ethiopia where 25.6% were stunted [ 7 ], and Addis Ababa Ethiopia where only 19.6% were stunted [ 24 ]. Similarly, it was higher than the study conducted in Urban slums in India [ 31 ], South India [ 32 ], and Nairobi Peri-Urban Slum of Kenya [ 33 ] where 18.5%, 19.3%, and 30.2% of children were stunted, respectively.…”

“…The prevalence of wasting was 35.44% (16.48% severely wasted). It was the highest magnitude than in other studies conducted in Gondar town, North West Ethiopia 9% [ 16 ], Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia 8% [ 28 ], Fogera and Libo Kemkem Districts, 21.6% [ 27 ], in Dale Woreda, Southern Ethiopia (14%) [ 7 ] and Lalibela Town, Northern Ethiopia (29.5%) [ 29 ]. The differences in the studies' study period, study design, study area, and dietary intervention activities could be to blame for the inconsistencies.…”

Stunting, age at school entry and academic performance in developing countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Schooling levels can be seen as the re ection of age at school enrollment and grade repetition, and are thus dependent on academic performance. Several studies have highlighted that stunted growth and height-for-age are associated, respectively, negatively and positively with test results in mathematics, reading, communication and motor development [6,21,[45][46][47][48][49]. Results showed that impaired growth and development in infancy negatively affects later academic performance and therefore academic trajectory, which leads, overall to low school levels.…”

Pengujian Aktivitas Antibakteri Ekstrak Kulit Ranting Sengon Dengan Pelarut Metanol Dan N-Heksana

“…Indonesia menempati urutan ke 107 pada Human Development Indicators pada tahun 2020 dengan nilai indeks dari 189 Negara dan Wilayah (United Nations Development Programs, 2020). Berdasarkan penelitian Ayalew di Afrika bagian utara, 14,7% dari peserta penelitian yang mengalami malnutrisi memiliki kemampuan akademik rendah prestasi di semester tersebut (Ayalew et al, 2020) .…”