Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania
<strong>Background:</strong> Although undernutrition in children is widely recognized as a major health problem in Tanzania, region-specific prevalence data remain scarce. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of stunting and thinness among primary-school-age...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
2017-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of School Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://intjsh.sums.ac.ir/article_45121_7e096c73329ef9d05019c71d506ec3cb.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819009979371225088 |
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| author | Arno Teblick Sofie De Deken Wies Vanderbruggen Marie Vermeersch Sofie Teblick Maarten Ruymaekers Jasmine Andries Robert Colebunders Bruno P Mmbando |
| author_facet | Arno Teblick Sofie De Deken Wies Vanderbruggen Marie Vermeersch Sofie Teblick Maarten Ruymaekers Jasmine Andries Robert Colebunders Bruno P Mmbando |
| author_sort | Arno Teblick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <strong>Background:</strong> Although undernutrition in children is widely recognized as a major health problem in Tanzania, region-specific prevalence data remain scarce. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of stunting and thinness among primary-school-aged children in a village in the Arusha region in Tanzania, with the aim of developing a targeted nutritional support program.
<strong>Methods:</strong> In the present school-based cross-sectional study, anthropometric measurements were obtained for all children (n = 1,379) who attended Baraa primary school in the Baraa village located at the transition between a rural and urban area in the Arusha region. The data were compared with the world health organization (WHO) 2007 growth reference data for individuals between the ages of 5 to 19. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test, while categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test. Spearman’s correlation and χ 2for trend were used to compare the trend of continuous and categorical variables, respectively.
<strong>Results:</strong> Basic anthropometric values of the study participants were significantly lower than those of the reference population. The mean values of z-scores significantly differed from zero. No gender differences in the prevalence of stunting and thinness were found. Three hundred and twenty-six children (23.7%) suffered from at least one form of undernutrition: 225 (16.3%) were stunted while 156 (11.3%) were thin. The prevalence of both stunting and thinness was at its lowest in the youngest children (5 - 9 years) and highest in the oldest children (14 - 19 years). Furthermore, 54 (16.5%) of the undernourished children suffered from multiple forms of undernutrition.
<strong>Conclusions:</strong> Undernutrition remains prevalent among primary-school-aged children in the Arusha region, Tanzania. Moreover, a high proportion of children suffer from a combination of different forms of undernutrition, with an increase in the prevalence of undernutrition with age. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:04:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d28e6c8c7c114a2c9e2dc43b68c5c440 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2345-5152 2383-1219 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:04:58Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Shiraz University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of School Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d28e6c8c7c114a2c9e2dc43b68c5c4402022-12-21T19:21:04ZengShiraz University of Medical SciencesInternational Journal of School Health2345-51522383-12192017-07-01431710.5812/intjsh.4607945121Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in TanzaniaArno Teblick0Sofie De Deken1Wies Vanderbruggen2Marie Vermeersch3Sofie Teblick4Maarten Ruymaekers5Jasmine Andries6Robert Colebunders7Bruno P Mmbando8Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumGlobal Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumNational Institute for Medical Research, Tanga Research Centre, Tanga, Tanzania<strong>Background:</strong> Although undernutrition in children is widely recognized as a major health problem in Tanzania, region-specific prevalence data remain scarce. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of stunting and thinness among primary-school-aged children in a village in the Arusha region in Tanzania, with the aim of developing a targeted nutritional support program. <strong>Methods:</strong> In the present school-based cross-sectional study, anthropometric measurements were obtained for all children (n = 1,379) who attended Baraa primary school in the Baraa village located at the transition between a rural and urban area in the Arusha region. The data were compared with the world health organization (WHO) 2007 growth reference data for individuals between the ages of 5 to 19. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test, while categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test. Spearman’s correlation and χ 2for trend were used to compare the trend of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. <strong>Results:</strong> Basic anthropometric values of the study participants were significantly lower than those of the reference population. The mean values of z-scores significantly differed from zero. No gender differences in the prevalence of stunting and thinness were found. Three hundred and twenty-six children (23.7%) suffered from at least one form of undernutrition: 225 (16.3%) were stunted while 156 (11.3%) were thin. The prevalence of both stunting and thinness was at its lowest in the youngest children (5 - 9 years) and highest in the oldest children (14 - 19 years). Furthermore, 54 (16.5%) of the undernourished children suffered from multiple forms of undernutrition. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Undernutrition remains prevalent among primary-school-aged children in the Arusha region, Tanzania. Moreover, a high proportion of children suffer from a combination of different forms of undernutrition, with an increase in the prevalence of undernutrition with age.http://intjsh.sums.ac.ir/article_45121_7e096c73329ef9d05019c71d506ec3cb.pdfprevalenceanthropometryschoolaged childrenundernutritiontanzania |
| spellingShingle | Arno Teblick Sofie De Deken Wies Vanderbruggen Marie Vermeersch Sofie Teblick Maarten Ruymaekers Jasmine Andries Robert Colebunders Bruno P Mmbando Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania International Journal of School Health prevalence anthropometry school aged children undernutrition tanzania |
| title | Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania |
| title_full | Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania |
| title_short | Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania |
| title_sort | anthropometry and nutritional status of primary school children in a sub urban region in tanzania |
| topic | prevalence anthropometry school aged children undernutrition tanzania |
| url | http://intjsh.sums.ac.ir/article_45121_7e096c73329ef9d05019c71d506ec3cb.pdf |
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