Determinants of wasting among children aged 6–59 months in Wonago woreda, south Ethiopia. A facility-based unmatched case-control study

BACKGROUND: Wasting continued to threaten the lives of 52 million (7.7%) under-five children globally. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for one-third of all wasted children globally, and Ethiopia is among the countries with the highest magnitude of Wasting in the region. Despite, the little decrement in the prevalence of other forms of malnutrition (stunting and underweight), the burden of wasting remains the same in the country. Gedeo zone is among those with a high prevalence of under-five wasting. OBJECTIVE: To identify determinants of wasting among children aged 6–59 months in Wonago Woreda, 2018. METHODS: A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted from May 11 to July 21/2018. A total of 356 (119 cases and 237 controls) mothers/caregivers of under-five children who visited the Wonago woreda public health facilities were included in the study using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurement. Descriptive analysis was used to describe data. Binary logistic regression was used to identify determinants of wasting among children aged 6–59 months. Variables with p-value < 0.25 in bi-variate analysis entered to multivariate analysis. Those variables with a p-value less than 0.05 during the multivariate regression were considered significant. RESULTS: Determinants which found to have an association with wasting in this study were; maternal illiteracy [AOR = 2.48, 95% CI (1.11, 5.53)] family size <3 [AOR = 0.16, 95% CI (0.05, 0.50)] wealth index [AOR = 2.41, 95% CI (1.07, 5.46)] exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months [AOR = 2.71, 95% CI (1.15, 6.40)] dietary diversity [AOR = 5.52, 95% CI (2.06, 14.76)] and children been sick in the last 2 weeks [AOR = 4.36, 95% CI (2.21, 8.61)]. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Determinants identified were maternal education, family size, wealth index, and exclusive breastfeeding, dietary diversity, and morbidity history of a child in the last 2 weeks. To reduce childhood wasting, due emphasis should be given to empowering women and improving the knowledge and practice of parents on appropriate infant and young child-caring practices.