Prevalence of unhealthy food consumption and its associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia 2025: community based cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Unhealthy food consumption among children aged 6–23 months is a growing public health concern, contributing to nutrient inadequacy and increased risk of chronic diseases later in life. In Ethiopia, particularly in post-war Tigray, Little attention has been given to this issue, and no prior assessments exist. Therefore this study aimed to determine the prevalence of unhealthy food consumption and its associated factors among children in Mekelle, Tigray. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 587 children aged 6–23 months in Mekelle. Participants were selected using a multistage sampling technique, and data were collected via mobile tools/KOBO collect by trained health professionals. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with unhealthy food consumption. Variables with a p-value <0.25 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of unhealthy food consumption was 64.7%. the significant predictor for unhealthy food intake were maternal marital status (AOR=2.22, 95% CI: 1.03–4.77), maternal educational status(AOR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.185-4.174), Mothers aged 15–24 years (AOR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.17–6.22), family size (AOR=1.7, 95%CI= 1.050- 2.630), Children aged 18–23 months (AOR=5.9, 95% CI: 3.26–10.67), Male children (AOR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.75–4.25), and mothers who did not receive child feeding information during postnatal care (AOR=1.02, 95% CI: 2.81–10.20). Conclusion and Recommendations: Nearly two-thirds of children aged 6–23 months in Mekelle consume unhealthy foods. factors significantly associated were maternal age and marital status, maternal education, child’s age and sex, family size, and lack of postnatal feeding counseling. Targeted interventions should focus on young mothers, mothers of lower education and divorced mothers, large families, older infants and strengthening postnatal nutritional counseling.