Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia

ObjectivesReproductive age women in Ethiopia face significant double burden malnutrition. Although underweight prevalence has declined, overweight and obesity rates are raising due to rapid nutrition transitions and physical activity levels changes. This study aimed to assess the association between...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Darik Temesgen Assefa, Dessalegn Ajema Berbada, Melesse Mengesha Merkina, Desta Haftu Hayelom, Nigus Kabtu Belete, Simegn Wagaye Kefene, Befikadu Tariku Gutema
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:International Journal of Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608161/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849391891895812096
author Darik Temesgen Assefa
Dessalegn Ajema Berbada
Melesse Mengesha Merkina
Desta Haftu Hayelom
Nigus Kabtu Belete
Simegn Wagaye Kefene
Befikadu Tariku Gutema
author_facet Darik Temesgen Assefa
Dessalegn Ajema Berbada
Melesse Mengesha Merkina
Desta Haftu Hayelom
Nigus Kabtu Belete
Simegn Wagaye Kefene
Befikadu Tariku Gutema
author_sort Darik Temesgen Assefa
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivesReproductive age women in Ethiopia face significant double burden malnutrition. Although underweight prevalence has declined, overweight and obesity rates are raising due to rapid nutrition transitions and physical activity levels changes. This study aimed to assess the association between nutritional status and physical activity among these women.MethodsCommunity-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site involving 422 randomly selected women from April to May 2022. Data were collected through interviews, including weight and height measurements. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations, with significance at p < 0.05.ResultApproximately 20.1% women faced malnutrition with 7.8% underweight and 12.3% overweight/obesity. Notably, 84.6% engaging in ≥600 MET-minutes of physical activity weekly and inactive women were 2.8 times more likely to be overweight/obese. Significant associations were found between nutritional status and factors like educational status, contraceptive use, household food insecurity, and family size.ConclusionIncreased overweight/obesity risk among inactive women underscores the need for promoting active lifestyles and targeted interventions for better health.
format Article
id doaj-art-23a1085a582c47c8a16530e85b2e1950
institution Kabale University
issn 1661-8564
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series International Journal of Public Health
spelling doaj-art-23a1085a582c47c8a16530e85b2e19502025-08-20T03:40:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642025-03-017010.3389/ijph.2025.16081611608161Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern EthiopiaDarik Temesgen Assefa0Dessalegn Ajema Berbada1Melesse Mengesha Merkina2Desta Haftu Hayelom3Nigus Kabtu Belete4Simegn Wagaye Kefene5Befikadu Tariku Gutema6School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaDepartment of Public Health, Arba Minch College of Health Science, Arba Minch, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaObjectivesReproductive age women in Ethiopia face significant double burden malnutrition. Although underweight prevalence has declined, overweight and obesity rates are raising due to rapid nutrition transitions and physical activity levels changes. This study aimed to assess the association between nutritional status and physical activity among these women.MethodsCommunity-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site involving 422 randomly selected women from April to May 2022. Data were collected through interviews, including weight and height measurements. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations, with significance at p < 0.05.ResultApproximately 20.1% women faced malnutrition with 7.8% underweight and 12.3% overweight/obesity. Notably, 84.6% engaging in ≥600 MET-minutes of physical activity weekly and inactive women were 2.8 times more likely to be overweight/obese. Significant associations were found between nutritional status and factors like educational status, contraceptive use, household food insecurity, and family size.ConclusionIncreased overweight/obesity risk among inactive women underscores the need for promoting active lifestyles and targeted interventions for better health.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608161/fullnutritional statusphysical activity levelreproductive age womenArba Minch HDSSEthiopia
spellingShingle Darik Temesgen Assefa
Dessalegn Ajema Berbada
Melesse Mengesha Merkina
Desta Haftu Hayelom
Nigus Kabtu Belete
Simegn Wagaye Kefene
Befikadu Tariku Gutema
Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
International Journal of Public Health
nutritional status
physical activity level
reproductive age women
Arba Minch HDSS
Ethiopia
title Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
title_full Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
title_fullStr Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
title_short Association Between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Among Reproductive Age Women in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Southern Ethiopia
title_sort association between nutritional status and physical activity among reproductive age women in arba minch health and demographic surveillance site southern ethiopia
topic nutritional status
physical activity level
reproductive age women
Arba Minch HDSS
Ethiopia
url https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608161/full
work_keys_str_mv AT dariktemesgenassefa associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT dessalegnajemaberbada associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT melessemengeshamerkina associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT destahaftuhayelom associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT niguskabtubelete associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT simegnwagayekefene associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia
AT befikadutarikugutema associationbetweennutritionalstatusandphysicalactivityamongreproductiveagewomeninarbaminchhealthanddemographicsurveillancesitesouthernethiopia