Assessment of nutritional status and associated factors among school going adolescents of Mekelle City, Northern Ethiopia

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 sociodemographic 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.