Worancha ወራንቻ

Masresha Tessema 1 , Tefera Belachew 2,& , Getahun Ersino 1,3 1 Institute of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia,  2 College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Population and Fam. Health, Jimma, University, Jimma, Ethiopia,  3 College of Pharmacy & Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan 110 Science Place, Saskatoon SK CAN S7N 5C9, Canada. & Corresponding author Tefera Belachew, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Population and Fam. Health, Jimma, University, Jimma, Ethiopia. Abstract Introduction:  The period from birth to two years of age is a "critical window" of opportunity for the promotion of optimal growth, health and behavioral development of children. Poor child feeding patterns combined with household food insecurity can lead to malnutrition which is a major public health problem in developing countries like

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status and cognitive performance of women and their 5-year-old children using a cross-sectional design. Cognitive performance of mothers and children was assessed with Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-II (KABC-II). Demographic characteristics, food consumption patterns and anthropometry were also measured. Four rural districts in Sidama, southern Ethiopia served as the setting for this study. Subjects were one hundred women and their 5-year-old children. Mean ± standard deviation age of the mothers was 29 ± 6 years and family size was 7.0 ± 2.6. Maternal body mass index (BMI) ranged from 15.3 to 29.0 with 14% of the mothers having BMI < 18.5. Anthropometric assessment of children revealed 29% to be stunted (height-for-age z-score < -2) and 12% to be underweight (weight-for-age z-score < -2). Mothers' education significantly contributed to predic