Table 6 Factors associated with thinness among school age children of rural primary schools in East Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia (n = 821)

Household Food securedd

unsecuredd

78 (16.1%)

406 (83.9%/)

2.03 (1.29,3.18)

1.74 (1.08,2.81) *

Securedd

29 (8.7%)

306 (91.3%)

1

1

Dietary diversity practice

Lowest

34 (31.8%)

120 (16.8%)

3.16 (1.26,7.92)

2.52 (0.95,6.67)

Medium

67 (62.6%)

527 (73.8%)

1.42 (0.59,3.38)

1.25 (0.51,3.12)

Highest

6 (5.6%)

67 (9.4%)

1

1

Age

6–10

64 (21.0%)

241 (79.0%)

1

1

11–14

43 (8.3%)

423 (91.7%)

0.34 (0.23,0.52)

0.31 (0.19,0.47) *

Water source

Improved

70 (11.8%)

522 (88.2%)

1

1

Not improved

37 (16.2%)

192 (83.8%)

1.43 (0.93,2.21)

1.29 (0.82,2.04)

Water treating

Treated

29 (9.3%)

284 (90.7%)

1

1

Not treated

78 (15.4%)

429 (84.6%)

1.78 (1.13,2.79)

1.72 (1.08,2.75) *

Meal frequency

Less than two per day

11 (23.4%)

36 (76.6%)

1.94 (0.85,4.42)

2.67 (1.11,6.46) *

Three per day

76 (12.1%)

551 (87.9%)

0.87 (0.52,1.49)

0.89 (0.51,1.56)

Four and above per day

20 (13.6%)

127 (86.4%)

1

1