Family Medicine & Medical Science Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2327-4972
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2327-4972
+44-20-4587-4809
Rawa Jaafar Kadhim Al-Ameri and Weaam G Abdalhamid
Background: Assessment of the nutritional status of children is a rising concern all over the world. Since school health services play an important role in the development of every child, so assessment of nutritional status of this segment of the population is essential. The term malnutrition “refers to both undernutrition and overnutrition”. Malnutrition has various forms including both macro and micronutrient deficiencies affect a large sector of the population which include; underweight, thinness, stunting, overweight and obesity according to WHO classification.
Objectives: Assessment of the nutritional state of six years old children.
Subjects and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, comprehensive sampling technique, included children registered to schools, of ages six years old. Weight and height were measured for each child by using standard scales. nutritional status is assessed by using growth charts which include; BMI to age (Z score), weight to age (Z score), height to age (Z score) conducted in the catchment area of Al-Dora Family Health Center in Al-Dora suburb in Baghdad city capital of Iraq from 1/7/2017 to 25/9/2017. The study adopted by taking the records of schools’ registration of children of 6 years old. It included 1202 students.
Results: Girls consists 50.9% of the sample. In general, malnutrition was prevalent in 25.4%, and it was significantly higher among boys. The analysis showed that 2.1% of the students were stunted, (5.9%) were underweight and (10.3%) were overweight. The prevalence of thinness was higher among boys (9.2%) while severe low weight was significantly higher among girls (1.5%).
Conclusions: One in every four of the registered children was malnourished. The highest prevalent malnourished category was overweight and the lowest was severe stunting.