Iodine deficiency and its associated factors among primary school children in Anchar district, Eastern Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics of schoolage children and their parents/guardians in primary schools of Anchar district, Eastern Ethiopia, February 2017 (N=200)

Variables	Frequency	Percentage
Sex of the children
Male	86	43.0
Female	114	57.0
Child age (years)
6–8	67	33.5
9–12	133	66.5
Ethnicity of the children
Oromo	145	72.5
Amhara	42	21.0
Argoba	13	6.5
Religion of the children
Muslim	153	76.5
Orthodox	44	22.0
Protestant	3	1.5
Ecological zone of the children
Kola	79	39.5
Weina Dega	106	53.0
Dega	15	7.5
Residence of the children
Urban	52	26.0
Rural	148	74.0
Maternal educational status
No formal education	150	75.0
Able to read and write	24	12.0
Primary	16	8.0
Secondary and above	10	5.0
Maternal occupational status
Housewife	168	84.0
Government employee	9	4.5
Private employee	12	6.0
Daily laborer	11	5.5
Maternal marital status
Single	2	1.0
Married	187	93.5
Divorced/separated	8	4.0
Widowed	3	1.5
Educational status of father
No formal education	129	64.5
Able to read and write	27	13.5
Primary	26	13.0
Secondary level and above	18	9.0
Family members
≤5	92	46.0
>5	108	54.0
Household wealth index (N=198)
Poor	71	35.9
Medium	63	31.8
Rich	64	32.3

Table 2 Mother’s/caretaker’s awareness of health, nutrition, iodine-rich foods, and iodized salt, and feeding patterns of children aged 6–12 years in primary schools of Anchar district, Eastern Ethiopia, February 2017 (N=200)

Variables	Frequency	Percentage
Awareness on health nutrition
Yes	78	39.0
No	122	61.0
Awareness on balanced diet
Yes	69	34.5
No	131	65.5
Awareness on iodine-rich foods
Yes	43	21.5
No	157	78.5
Awareness on iodized salt
Yes	45	22.5
No	155	77.5
Believed every salt contains iodine
Yes	71	35.5
No	129	64.5
Frequency of cabbage consumption
Daily	4	2.0
3 times per week	12	6.0
2 times per week	58	29.0
Once per week	61	30.5
Never	65	32.5
Frequency of potato consumption
Daily	11	5.5
3 times per week	34	17.0
2 times per week	41	20.5
Once per week	51	25.5
Never	63	31.5
Frequency of legumes consumption
Daily	116	58.0
3 times per week	18	9.0
2 times per week	12	6.0
Once per week	16	8.0
Never	38	19.0
Frequency of oil/fat consumption
Daily	148	74.0
3 times per week	6	3.0
2 times per week	9	4.5
Once per week	13	6.5
Never	24	12.0
Frequency of milk consumption
Daily	16	8.0
3 times per week	15	7.5
2 times per week	19	9.5
Once per week	41	20.5
Never	109	54.5
Frequency of egg consumption
Daily	2	1.0
3 times per week	6	3.0
2 times per week	18	9.0
Once per week	37	18.5
Never	137	68.5
Frequency of honey/sugar consumption
2 times per week	2	1.0
Once per week	7	3.5
Never	191	95.5
Dietary diversity score
<4 food groups/items	199	99.5
≥4 food groups/items	1	0.5

Table 3 Nutritional status of primary school children aged 6–12 years and the iodine level of their households’ salt in Anchar district, Eastern Ethiopia, February 2017 (N=200)

Variables	Frequency	Percentage
Height-for-age
Normal (z-score ≥−1.99)	136	68.0
Moderate stunting (z-score −2.99 to −2)	50	25.0
Severe stunting (z-score ≤−3)	14	7.0
Body mass index-for-age
Normal (z-score ≥−1.99)*	169	84.5
Underweight (z-score −2.99 to −2)	25	12.5
Severe underweight (z-score ≤−3)	6	3.0
Iodine level of household salt (ppm)
0	113	56.5
1–15	67	33.5
≥15	20	10.0

Note:

* No overweight was detected.

Table 4 Factors associated with iodine deficiency among school children aged 6–12 years in Anchar district, Eastern Ethiopia, February 2017 (N=200)

Independent variables	Iodine deficiency		COR (95% CI)	AOR (95% CI)
	Yes	No
Child sex
Male	18	68	1.00	1.00
Female	44	70	2.37 (1.25, 4.51)**	3.12 (1.52, 6.39)**
Child age (in completed years)
6–8	20	47	1.00
9–12	42	91	1.09 (0.57, 2.05)
Child religion
Muslim	52	101	1.91 (0.88, 4.13)	1.48 (0.58, 3.74)
Christian	10	37	1.00	1.00
Maternal educational status
Have formal education	13	37	1.00
No formal education	49	101	1.38 (0.67, 2.83)
Maternal occupation
Have no work	55	113	1.74 (0.71, 4.27)	1.06 (0.36, 3.07)
Have work	7	25	1.00	1.00
Father’s educational status
No formal education	42	87	1.23 (0.65, 2.32)
Have formal education	20	51	1.00
Family members
<5	20	72	1.00	1.00
>5	42	66	2.29 (1.22, 4.30)*	2.24 (1.06, 4.75)*
Household wealth index
Poor	29	42	2.47 (1.16, 5.26)*	1.54 (0.60, 3.95)
Medium	18	45	1.43 (0.64, 3.20)	0.96 (0.37, 2.51)
Rich	14	50	1.00	1.00
Awareness on balanced diet
Yes	12	57	1.00	1.00
No	50	81	2.93 (1.43, 6.00)**	3.25 (1.37, 7.71)**
Awareness on iodized salt
Yes	9	36	1.00	1.00
No	53	102	2.08 (0.93, 4.64)	1.02 (0.38, 2.73)
Thinking that every salt has iodine
Yes	25	46	1.35 (0.73, 2.51)
No	37	92	1.00
Frequency of cabbage consumption (per week)
2 times and above	29	45	1.97 (0.95, 4.11)	3.01 (1.31, 6.93)*
Once	17	44	1.18 (0.53, 2.62)	1.11 (0.43, 2.68)
Never	16	49	1.00	1.00
Child stunting status
Not stunted	41	95	1.00
Stunted	21	43	1.13 (0.60, 2.14)
Child underweight status
Non-underweight	49	120	1.00	1.00
Underweight	13	18	1.77 (0.81, 3.89)	1.88 (0.78, 4.55)

Notes:

* Statistically significant at p value <0.05.

** Statistically significant at p value <0.01.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; COR, crude odds ratio; AOR, adjusted odds ratio.