To meet the 2030 goal to end all types of malnutrition, thoroughly investigating and addressing context-specific factors of undernutrition is crucial. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in South-East Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 580 randomly sampled mother-child pairs in February 2022. Socio-demographic, dietary intake, household food security (HFS), maternal knowledge and practices of child feeding, and the child\'s weight and height data were collected. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was done. The prevalence of stunted, wasted, and underweight children was 32⋅1, 7, and 9 %, respectively. Being male (AOR = 1⋅75), not using the growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) service (AOR = 1⋅50), household food insecurity (HFI) (AOR = 1⋅67), lack of improved water (AOR = 2⋅26), and bottle-feeding (AOR = 1⋅54) were significantly associated with stunting. Being male (AOR = 3⋅02), having low maternal knowledge on child-feeding practices (AOR = 3⋅89), not listening to the radio/television (AOR = 3⋅69), having a history of fever (AOR = 3⋅39), bottle-feeding (AOR = 3⋅58), and HFI (AOR = 3⋅77) were significantly predicted wasting. Being male (AOR = 3⋅44), not using GMP service (AOR = 2⋅00), having a history of fever (AOR = 4⋅24), lack of knowledge on optimal breastfeeding duration (AOR = 3⋅58), low maternal knowledge on child feeding (AOR = 2⋅21), HFI (AOR = 2⋅04), and lack of improved water (AOR = 3⋅00) showed significant association with underweight. In conclusion, stunting is alarmingly common while wasting and underweight are sub-optimal. Prevention of infectious disease, providing basic education for fathers, ensuring HFS; enhancing media access, maternal knowledge about IYCFP and improving water access; and GMP service utilisation are crucial to improve child nutrition.

Undernutrition in elders remains under-detected, under-treated, and under-resourced and leads to further weight loss, increased infections, and delay in recovery from illness as well as increased hospital admissions and length of stay. The reports of the findings were fragmented and inconsistent in Ethiopia. Therefore, the main objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of undernutrition and its association with dietary diversity among older persons in Ethiopia. Online databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct), Google, Google Scholar, and other grey literature were used to search articles until the date of publication. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. The random effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence; whereas subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed to identify the probable source of heterogeneity using Stata version 14.0 software. Out of 522 studies accessed, 14 met our criteria and were included in the study. A total of 7218 older people (aged above 60 years old) were included in the study. The pooled proportion of undernutrition among older persons in Ethiopia was 20⋅6 % (95 % CI 17⋅3, 23⋅8). Elders who consumed low dietary diversity scores were strongly associated with undernutrition among older persons. Therefore, promoting appropriate intervention strategies for elders to improve dietary diversity practices and nutritional status is crucial.

UNASSIGNED: The DMagic trial showed that participatory learning and action (PLA) community mobilisation delivered through facilitated community groups, and mHealth voice messaging interventions improved diabetes knowledge in Bangladesh and the PLA intervention reduced diabetes occurrence. We assess intervention effects three years after intervention activities stopped.
UNASSIGNED: Five years post-randomisation, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among a random sample of adults aged ≥30-years living in the 96 DMagic villages, and a cohort of individuals identified with intermediate hyperglycaemia at the start of the DMagic trial in 2016. Primary outcomes were: 1) the combined prevalence of intermediate hyperglycaemia and diabetes; 2) five-year cumulative incidence of diabetes among the 2016 cohort of individuals with intermediate hyperglycaemia. Secondary outcomes were: weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure, knowledge and behaviours. Primary analysis compared outcomes at the cluster level between intervention arms relative to control.
UNASSIGNED: Data were gathered from 1623 (82%) of the randomly selected adults and 1817 (87%) of the intermediate hyperglycaemia cohort. 2018 improvements in diabetes knowledge in mHealth clusters were no longer observable in 2021. Knowledge remains significantly higher in PLA clusters relative to control but no difference in primary outcomes of intermediate hyperglycaemia and diabetes prevalence (OR (95%CI) 1.23 (0.89, 1.70)) or five-year incidence of diabetes were observed (1.04 (0.78, 1.40)). Hypertension (0.73 (0.54, 0.97)) and hypertension control (2.77 (1.34, 5.75)) were improved in PLA clusters relative to control.
UNASSIGNED: PLA intervention effect on intermediate hyperglycaemia and diabetes was not sustained at 3 years after intervention end, but benefits in terms of blood pressure reduction were observed.
UNASSIGNED: Medical Research Council UK: MR/M016501/1 (DMagic trial); MR/T023562/1 (DClare study), under the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) Diabetes and Scale-up Programmes, respectively.

Background: Cancer has become a significant public health issue around the world and an increasingly important contributor to disease burdens. In countries like Ethiopia with high nutrient demands, people with chronic diseases like cancer are at a high risk of macro and micronutrient deficiencies. Therefore, the present study attempted to assess dietary diversity and associated factors among adult cancer patients attending treatment at Black Lion Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method and Materials: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 22 April 2021 to 22 May 2021 on 416 adult cancer patients at Black Lion Specialized Hospital (BLSH). A systematic random sampling technique was applied to select study subjects. Quantitative data were collected using a structured, pretested and interviewer-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised the standard dietary diversity measurement tool, which was adopted from the Food and Technical Assistance (FANTA) then data were entered into EPI INFO software and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Frequency, mean and standard deviation were used to describe variables. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to elicit factors associated with the dietary diversity of cancer patients and a P-value of less than 0⋅2 was used as a cut-off for further analysis. Logistic regression analysis with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) was estimated to measure the strength of association at P < 0⋅05. Results: The present study revealed that 61⋅5 % of patients had low dietary diversity. Being from a family size of five and more (AOR = 1⋅48, 95 % CI 1⋅28, 1⋅83), having no permanent income (AOR = 1⋅31, 95 % CI 1⋅15, 1⋅67), alcohol consumption (AOR = 3⋅97, 95 % CI 1⋅20, 13⋅1), not doing regular physical exercise (AOR = 1⋅83, 95 % CI 1⋅07, 3⋅12), lack of nutritional information (AOR = 2⋅23, 95 % CI 1⋅30, 3⋅82), poor nutritional knowledge (AOR = 1⋅84, 95 % CI 1⋅05, 3⋅25) and minimum meal frequency (AOR = 10⋅7, 95 % CI 5⋅04, 22⋅7) were factors associated with inadequate dietary diversity. Conclusion: The present study showed that the majority of cancer patients had low dietary diversity, suggesting that they are highly vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies. Therefore, efforts should be strengthened to improve patients\' income level, access to nutrition information and nutritional knowledge.

Dietary diversity is one of the eight core indicators of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. It is also a proxy for nutrient adequacy of the diet of individuals. There are minimal studies showing the level of dietary practice in urban and rural settings comparably. Hence, the present study intended to assess and compare differences in the level of dietary diversity and its contributing factors in urban and rural settings of the West Shoa zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 674 pairs of mothers/caregivers and children aged 6-23 months using a multistage sampling technique. Data were analysed and descriptive summaries were presented with tables, charts and graphs. A linear regression analysis was used to identify factors that were associated with the level of dietary diversity. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was 26⋅1 % (95 % CI 22⋅8, 29⋅5) both in urban and rural (P < 0⋅001), and also the minimum meal frequency was 56⋅5 % (95 % CI 52⋅7, 60⋅2) (P < 0⋅038). Child from merchant mother, own production of foods at the household level and frequent advice of IYCF practices during Post natal care (PNC) visit in urban residents, maternal secondary educational level, living with caregiver only, having a merchant father, advice of IYCF practice during PNC visit and utilisation of horse as a means of transportation in rural were positively associated with the level of dietary diversity. Generally, infant and young children who received the recommended dietary diversity and the minimum meal frequency were low in the study area both in the urban and rural settings.

Despite the high burden of neural tube defects (NTD) in eastern Ethiopia, there is no evidence that it is related to maternal dietary practice. The aim of the present study was to compare dietary practice between women who gave birth to newborns with and without NTDs. A comparative cross-sectional study was performed on a total of 276 (138 in each group) mothers who delivered neonates with or without NTD. Study participants were selected from three hospitals found in the eastern part of Ethiopia. The dietary practice was determined using the indicators including meal frequency, dietary diversity score (DDS), food variety score (FVS) and consumption of animal source food (ASF) generated from the dietary data collected using validated and pre-tested Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to isolate independent predictors of dietary practices. The prevalence of good dietary practice was 29 % (95 % CI 23·6 %, 34·3 %). There was a significant difference in dietary practices (P = 0·034), in FVS (P = 0·01), in DDS (P = 0·045) between the two groups. In multivariable logistic regression, independent predictors of having good dietary practice were: not being the mother of a newborn with NTDs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2·1, 95 % CI 1·07, 4·1], being from a rural residence area (AOR 0·29, 95 % CI 0·1, 0·7) and being illiterate (AOR 0·16, 95 % CI 0·03, 0·8). The present study found that dietary practice is associated with the development of NTDs. Nutrition education, food fortification and supplementation are needed to address this issue, and further research is needed to explore the mechanism.

BACKGROUND: TB (tuberculosis) is an infectious disease affecting millions of people worldwide; globally, an estimated 10 million people developed TB disease in the past two years; and there were an estimated 1.4 million TB deaths. In Ethiopia, the burden of TB is ranked third and seventh in Africa and the world, respectively. Hence, studies are limited to solving many of the problems related to undernutrition. Therefore this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among adult TB patients attending Amhara National Regional State hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the TB clinics of Amhara Regional State Referral hospitals from March to April 2020. A total of 405 TB patients participated in the study. Proportional allocation and Systematic random sampling were employed to get representative study participants. The outcome variable, undernutrition, was determined by using Body Mass Index (BMI). Interviewer administered structured questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and patients\' document review were done. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify factors associated with undernutrition. Crude odds ratios (COR) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals and P-values < 0.05 were employed to declare the significance and strength of association.
RESULTS: The prevalence of under nutrition was 42.2% [95%CI: 32.8, 51.6]. The mean (±SD) BMI was 19.30(±2.83). The odds of undernutrition was higher among TB patients with poor wealth status [AOR = 2.39, 95%CI; 1.19, 4.79], alcohol consumption [AOR = 1.57; 95%CI, 1.01, 2.47], bedridden [AOR = 3.02, 95%CI; 1.21, 7.50] and ambulatory patient [AOR = 2.11, 95%CI; 1.36, 3.26]. Furthermore, being farmer [AOR = 2.59;95%CI,1.08,6.20], housewife [AOR = 2.72;95%CI,1.22,6.06] and unemployed [AOR = 2.46;95%CI,1.18,5.13] were significantly associated with undernutrition.
CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated that a considerably high proportion of TB patients were undernourished in Amhara regionals state referral hospitals. Behavioral and socio-economic characteristics were significantly associated with undernutrition. Therefore, nutritional and social support activities are essential for TB patients, particularly those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. Regular nutritional screening and management, as well as behavioral interventions, should be strengthened.

Maternal dietary feeding practice is one of the proxy indicators of maternal nutrient adequacy and it improves outcomes for both mothers and their offspring. The minimum maternal dietary diversity score of lactating women is defined as when the mother ate at least four and above food groups from the nine food groups 24 h preceding the survey regardless of the portion size. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the minimum dietary diversity score (MDDS) and its predictors among lactating mothers in the Pastoralist community, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed on 360 lactating mothers using a multi-stage sampling technique from 5 January 2020 to 10 February 2020. Data were collected using questionnaires and anthropometry measurements. Data were entered using EPI-data 4.6.02 and exported into SPSS version 25. Statistical significance was declared at P-value <0⋅05 at multivariable logistic regression. Only one in four lactating mothers met the MDDS. The majority of them consumed cereals in the preceding 24 h of data collection. The most important predictors were maternal meal frequency (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 6⋅26; 95 % confidence interval (CI) (3⋅51, 11⋅15)), antenatal care (ANC) follow-up one to three times and four and above times (AOR: 2⋅58; 95 % CI (1⋅24, 5⋅36), 4⋅77 (1⋅90, 11⋅95), respectively) and secondary paternal education (AOR 2⋅97; 95 % CI (1⋅44, 6⋅11)). The MDDS among lactating mothers was low. Paternal education, maternal meal frequency and ANC follow-up were the significant predictors. Therefore, to improve maternal dietary diversity score emphasis should be given to those predictors.

BACKGROUND: The link between tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition has long been recognized. Vitamin A and zinc deficiencies may reduce the host defenses and increase the risk for diseases.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to estimate the difference in vitamin A and zinc deficiencies together with dietary intakes among pulmonary TB patients and controls.
METHODS: A case-control study design was employed to undertake this study in North Shewa, Ethiopia. Sputum smear examination, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to analyse acid fast bacilli (AFB), vitamin A, zinc, and C-reactive protein (CRP), respectively. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-h recall questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-square, odds ratio (OR), Spearman correlation, and multinomial logistic regression model were computed for data analyses.
RESULTS: In this study, 62 TB cases and 59 controls were included. The proportions of vitamin A deficiency among TB cases and controls were 56.4% and 39.0%, respectively. All TB cases and 92.5% controls were zinc deficient. The odds of TB cases with deficiencies of vitamin A and zinc was 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1 to 4.8)times more likely as compared to the controls. More than 80% of all participants had below average fulfilment of energy and vitamin A intakes.
CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin A and zinc deficiencies are severe problems among TB patients. Moreover, undernutrition determines the development of TB. Therefore, the management programs of TB need to address the problems of vitamin A and zinc deficiencies together with protein-energy malnutrition.

Nutrient deficiencies during childhood have adverse effects on child growth and health. In a single-arm 48-week long-term intervention, we previously reported the efficacy of oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) and dietary counselling on catch-up growth and growth maintenance in nutritionally at-risk Filipino children. The present analysis was done to assess the contributing effects of ONS to nutritional adequacy, dietary diversity, food intake and longitudinal growth. ONS (450 ml) was consumed daily providing 450 kcal (1880 kJ) and at least 50 % of micronutrient requirements among 200 children aged 3-4 years with weight-for-height percentiles between 5th and 25th (WHO Growth Standards). Weight, height and dietary intakes using 24-h food recalls were measured at baseline, and at weeks 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40 and 48. Nutrient adequacy and dietary diversity score (DDS) were calculated. Generalised estimating equations were used to assess the effects of total nutrient intakes, DDS, ONS compliance and sociodemographic factors on longitudinal growth. The percentages of children with adequate intake of energy, protein, Fe, Ca and some vitamins at each post-baseline visit were improved from baseline, reaching 100 % for most nutrients. DDS was also increased from baseline and reached significance from week 16 onwards (P < 0·01). Male children, total energy intake and parental employment status were associated with weight-for-height percentile gain (P < 0·05), whereas higher parental education level and ONS compliance were significantly associated with height-for-age percentile gain over time (P < 0·05). Long-term ONS intervention did not interfere with normal food intake and helped promote nutritional adequacy and growth of Filipino children.