Prevalence and factors associated with stunting and thinness among school-age children in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia

The prevalence of thinness is low when compared to the prevalence reported by a single national school health and nutrition survey in Ethiopia. Stunting is a major public health concern. Therefore, this finding warrants the need to implement school health and nutrition programs to improve the nutritional status of school-age children in the study area. The interventions should focus towards both gender and special emphasis should also be given to increase the enrollment of children in schools. In addition, effort should be taken by stakeholders in different hierarchies to improve the family wealth status.