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Global Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P07-033-25) Prevalence and Determinants of Growth and Anemia Among Children Aged 6–59 Months in Busoga Region, Uganda, May–June 2024

Saturday, May 31, 2025
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board A-31
Disclosure(s):
Edirisa Juniour Nsubuga, Doctoral Student in Nutritional Sciences and Statistics; Advanced FETP; MSc. Public Health Nutrition: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Oladayo E. Apalowo, PhD, MS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: This study examined the prevalence and determinants of growth and anemia among children aged 6-59 months in the Busoga Region of Uganda.

Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study included 439 caretaker-child dyads with children aged 6-59 months. Random sampling was used to determine eligible children. WHO growth standards defined child stunting, underweight, and wasting. Adjusted for altitude, UNICEF cut-offs determined child anemia status. Logistic regression generated crude and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for child wasting and stunting predictors. Modified Poisson regression determined stunting and anemia predictors through unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs). Variables with p≤0.2 at bivariate analysis were included in multivariate regression models using backward stepwise method. Significance was set at p.

Results: Mean child age was 27±14 months, with 52% males. Wasting, underweight, stunting, and anemia prevalence was 8.2%, 8.8%, 29.6%, and 67.4% respectively. Child wasting was associated with a higher likelihood of diarrhea (AOR=2.8 [1.3-5.9], p=0.007), measles (AOR=2.2 [1.1-4.6], p=0.045), and no breastfeeding history (AOR=5.7 [1.3-26], p=0.024). Underweight was lower among children of caretakers aged 26-44 years (AOR=0.3 [0.1-0.8], p=0.023), but higher with increased maternal parity (AOR=5.2 [1.3-21], p=0.020), no breastfeeding history (AOR=9.0 [1.7-48], p=0.01), incomplete immunization (AOR=7.0[2.2-22], p=0.001), and diarrhea (AOR=2.4 [1.0-5.4], p=0.042). Child stunting increased with incomplete immunization (APR=1.9 [1.2-3.0], p=0.009), and household size of 4-5 (APR=1.8 [1.1-3.2], p=0.029) or ≥6 members(APR=2.0 [1.2-3.6], p=0.014). Child anemia risk was higher with malaria history (APR=1.2[1.1-1.4], p=0.023), and caretakers aged 45-59 years (APR=1.5[1.1-2.1], p=0.025) but lower in children aged 36-47 months (APR=0.6[0.5-0.8], p < 0.001) and 48-59 months (APR=0.6[0.5-0.8], p=0.006.

Conclusions: Integrated nutrition-sensitive interventions including vaccination coverage, family planning, long lasting insecticidal net use and optimal child feeding sensitization, could improve child growth and anemia reduction.

Funding Sources: This study was funded by Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station and Mississippi State University International Institute.