PLoS ONE (Jan 2024)

The magnitude of stunting and its determinants among late adolescent girls in East Africa: Multilevel binary logistics regression analysis.

  • Hiwot Altaye Asebe,
  • Beminate Lemma Seifu,
  • Kusse Urmale Mare,
  • Bizunesh Fantahun Kase,
  • Tsion Mulat Tebeje,
  • Yordanose Sisay Asgedom,
  • Abdu Hailu Shibeshi,
  • Afewerk Alemu Lombebo,
  • Kebede Gemeda Sabo,
  • Bezawit Melak Fente,
  • Zufan Alamrie Asmare

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298062
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 5
p. e0298062

Abstract

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BackgroundStunting poses a significant health risk to adolescent girls aged 15-19 in low- and middle-income countries, leading to lower education levels, reduced productivity, increased disease vulnerability, and intergenerational malnutrition. Despite the inclusion of adolescent nutrition services in the Sustainable Development Goals, little progress has been made in addressing malnutrition among adolescent girls in several African nations. Limited evidence exists in East Africa due to small sample sizes and methodological limitations. To overcome these constraints, this study utilizes the latest Demographic and Health Survey data to estimate the prevalence and factors influencing stunting among late adolescent girls in ten East African countries.MethodsThis study utilized the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 10 East African countries, including a total sample weight of 22,504 late-adolescent girls. A multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model with cluster-level random effects was employed to identify factors associated with stunting among these girls. The odds ratio, along with the 95% confidence interval, was calculated to determine individual and community-level factors related to stunting. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in determining the factors influencing stunting among late-adolescent girls.ResultsThe prevalence of stunting among late adolescent girls in East Africa was found to be 13.90% (95% CI: 0.13-0.14). Religion, relationship to the head, presence of under-five children in the household, lactating adolescent, marital status, Time to get water source, and country of residence were significantly associated with Stunting.ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity of stunting in East Africa and identifies key factors that need attention to reduce its prevalence. Interventions should focus on improving water access, supporting lactating girls, addressing socioeconomic disparities, promoting optimal care practices, and implementing country-specific interventions to combat stunting and improve adolescent girls' nutrition.