"Consumption of Vitamin A rich Foods and its Associated Factors among Children aged 6-59 months in North Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study in 2022 "

Meseret Moroda^1*Girma Garedew Goyomsa¹Rebik Shukure¹Shelema Nigussu Negiye²

• ¹Department of Public Health, Salale University, Fitche Ethiopia, Salale University, Fitche, Ethiopia
• ²Department of food processing, Salale University , Fitche ,Ethiopia, Salale University, Fitche, Ethiopia

Background: Vitamin A deficiency is a major nutritional concern in poor societies, especially in lower income countries. In Ethiopia vitamin A deficiency was high in preschool children. Recently, the government of Ethiopia strengthening of nutrition-sensitive program that focuses on promoting dietary as public health intervention to manage vitamin A deficiency. However, there is limited research on the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods among children aged 6-59 months in the study area.Objective: To assess magnitude of consumption of vitamin A rich foods and its associated factors among children aged 6-59 months in North Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2022 Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted at North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia in 2022. A total of 916 mothers' pair children of age 6-59 months were included. A multistage stratified sampling followed by the simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data was collected through a face to face interview. STATA version 14 was used for analysis. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% CI and a P-values <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance in the multivariable analysis.Results: Overall, magnitude of Consumption of vitamin A rich food of children aged 6-59 months was (39.1%) (95% CI: 37.71, 40.49) in a week before survey. In multivariable regression analysis, maternal educational levels above secondary education and above (AOR=1.81,95% CI;1.19,2.75), paternal educational levels above secondary education and above (AOR=1.54 95% CI;1.05,2.23),house hold income 3000 and above ET birr (AOR=2.18 95%CI:1.24, 3.82),adequate dietary diversity score (AOR=1.48 95% CI;1.05,2.07),adequate meal frequency (AOR=1.37 95% CI ;1.04,1.81) and had nutrition counselling (AOR=1.31 95% CI; 1.10,1.73) were factors positively increases vitamin A consumption among children aged 6-59 moths, Whereas, age of children between 11-17 months aged 0.56(0.33,0.90) and 18-23months aged (0.46 (0.29,0.74) months was negatively associated.This study results showed that vitamin A consumption children aged 6-59 months was low. Strategies to increase vitamin A consumption should focus on promoting parental education, enhancing dietary diversity and meal frequency, supporting household income generation, targeting age groups in the transition to complementary feeding and strengthening nutrition counseling on child feeding practices.