Malnutrition at the early stages of life can lower child resistance to infections, increase child morbidity and mortality, and decrease mental development and cognitive achievement. Adequate nutrition is the keystone of survival, health and development not only the current generations but also the ones to come. Child malnutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. The main objective of this study was investigating correlates of malnutrition on children under age five in Ethiopia, using Z-scores and multivariate logistic regression analysis. According to the data obtained from the 2014 Mini Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) the under-age five children were 4921 out of these we took a sample of 802 under age five children (421 male and 381 female). The study design was cross-section survey because the data were collected at a point of time. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression model were used to estimate the respective indicators, and effects of factors on the malnutrition of the under-age five children. The investigation was observed that, the prevalence rate of stunting, wasting, and underweight were 40.05%, 26.50%, and 11.90% respectively. This was showed that the prevalence of stunting and under-weight was decreased but not enough results as compared to 2011 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS). On the other hand the risk level of wasting was increased. The finding of this study, was concluded that female were more at risk level of stunting rather than male. On the contrary the prevalence of wasting and underweight for under age five male were greater than female. The result of this study, was concluded that increase age of children, had not diarrhea recently, live in rural, good currently breast feeding, increase months of breast feeding, and educated partners were reduced the prevalence rate of stunting. As result taking vaccination, age and increase the time of months of breast feeding were reduced the risk of wasting. The only variable age was reduced the risk of under-weight.

Keywords: Malnutrition Z-scores Multivariate Logistic Regression Model Hosmer-Lemeshow Test Chi-Square Test