Dietary zinc intake and its determinants among Ethiopian children 6-35 months of age

Background: Adequate zinc intake is essential for the growth and neurobehavioral development of young children. Zinc deficiency in children is recognized as risk factor for stunting. In Ethiopia, 38% of children under five years of age are stunted. This analysis was conducted to measure dietary zinc intake and to identify its determinants among children 6-35 months of age to design appropriate intervention. Methods: Nationally and regionally representative data available from 6752 children 6-35 months of age from the Ethiopian national food consumption survey were analyzed. A multivariate model was used to identify determinants of dietary zinc intake. Results: We found low dietary zinc intake among children 6-35 month age. National average dietary zinc intake was 1.74 mg/day. Socio-economic status, maternal education, and maternal age were positively associated with dietary zinc intake, while the number of children under 5 years-of-age in a household was negatively associated with dietary zinc intake (p < 0.0001). Children reportedly sick in the previous 2 weeks were most likely to have low dietary zinc intake (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The observed low dietary zinc intake in Ethiopian children has a significant association with health status of children, providing evidence for nutrition and health planners to emphasize on promoting consumption of zinc rich foods and preventing morbidity from common infections.