Iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia: A multilevel complex sample analysis of the Ethiopian mini-demographic and health survey 2019 data

by Girma Beressa, Fikreab Desta, Bikila Lencha, Biniyam Sahiledengle, Daniel Atlaw, Degefa Gomora, Demisu Zenbaba, Eshetu Nigussie, Neway Ejigu, Tamiru Yazew, Telila Mesfin, Kenenisa Beressa

Children with inadequate iron consumption had slower growth, weaker immunity, and poor cognitive development. Although the public health importance of iron-rich consumption in Ethiopia is known, evidence for iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia is sparse. This study aimed to assess iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia.

This study used Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey 2019 (EMDHS-2019) data with a total weighted sample size of 5,112 among children aged 6–59 months old. A multilevel mixed effect logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of good iron-rich food consumption.

The proportion of good consumption of iron-rich foods among children aged 6–59 months was 27.99% (24.22, 32.10%). The findings revealed that children born to mothers who completed primary education [AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.19], a higher education [AOR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.28, 15.48], being born to the poorer family [AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.43], richer [AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.36], and richest [AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.29, 9.93] were positively associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old. Nevertheless, being 24–59 month-old children [AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.72], residents of the Afar [AOR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.67], Amhara region [AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.65], and Somali region [AOR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.07] were negatively associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old.

The finding revealed that there was low consumption of iron-rich foods among children aged 6–59 months in Ethiopia compared to reports from East African countries. Improving women’s literacy and economic empowerment would improve iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old. This study’s findings would have implications for policymakers in Ethiopia to enhance iron-rich food consumption.