Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural school girl's children Khartoum state, Sudan. in

Abstract EN

This study was conducted to determine the nutritional status of children attending urban and rural school girl’s children in Khartoum state (Sudan) and compares the results with WHO-NCHS references.

A total of 393 children (349 for urban schools &44 for rural schools) aged 5-15 years were studied.

Anthropometric measurements (weight, height and skin fold thickness of triceps muscle (SKFT)) were recorded for each child, and converted to nutritional indices (weight for age, height for age, SKFT).

The results revealed that the overall prevalent rates of underweight, stunting and thinness were 41.3, 21.4 and 2.1%, respectively.

In the rural area these were 59.1, 47.7 and 9.4%, while in the urban they were 39.0, 18.1 and 1.0%, respectively.

The mean nutritional indices (weight for age, height for age and SKFT) were found to be significantly lower among the rural children than urban children (P < 0.001 in each case).

The nutritional status (N.S) of rural school girl’s children is significantly different (p< 0.05) of underweight, stunting and thinness from that of urban school girl’s children.

The study demonstrates that the median weight and heights at age 5 to 10 years of school girl's children were equal to or greater than the WHO-NCHS references, but they were far below the WHO-NCHS references at age 11-to 15 years of school girl's children.

The most determinants of the children N.

S were the children parents' education, father profession, living conditions, family size and physical activities.

There was significant difference (p< 0.05) between rural and urban school girl's children in dietary intake of legumes, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit and fruit juices and beverages.

Malnutrition (underweight, stunting and thinness) constituted major health problems among school children in Khartoum State, Sudan, and this is particularly so in the rural areas.

Therefore, prevention of malnutrition should be given a high priority in the implementation of the ongoing primary health care programmes with particular attention paid to the rural population.

KEY WORDS: - Anthropometric measurements, children, nutritional status, basic schools urban, rural, Khartoum state, Sudan.