Abstract
Malnutrition remains a major problem affecting millions of children in Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status among primary school pupils in Olorunda Local government of Osogbo metropolis in South Western Nigeria. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to respondents in11schools randomly selected. A cross sectional study design was used and multi-stage sampling technique was utilized in selecting participants for the study. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A total of 487 pupils were interviewed and their age range was 5–16years with a mean age of 8 years. More females (53.6%) than males (46.4%) were interviewed. Most fathers were skilled workers and while most mothers were in the unskilled labor force. Above half (50.2%) of the study population were found to have poor nutritional history based on the 24 hour dietary recall. Also using WHO standard measurements of z score with a standard deviation of <-2, which is an indication of moderate undernourished children, 65.7% were stunted with low height for age, and 74.5% were underweight with low weight for age. More pupils were stunted in the higher classes compared to pupils in the lower classes. The study concluded that despite the various intervention programmes of non-Governmental and Governmental organizations, significant percentage of Nigerian primary school children still have poor nutritional status.
Highlights
Nutrition is a vital determinant of the state of health, growth and development of man
In this study more female pupils were interviewed having the male to femal e ratio as1:1.2 respectively
The age of the pupils ranged from 4 to 16 years with almost about three quarter falling within the 6 and 10 year age group. This is in agreement with a study on nutritional status conducted among primary school children whose age range was between 6 and 10 years in Lagos
Summary
Nutrition is a vital determinant of the state of health, growth and development of man. [1] Primary school age is a critical stage of growth and development both physically and mentally for children. [2] Critical health problems arising from feeding pattern resulting in poor nutritional status among primary school age children can affect their classroom performance and their social life. While overnutrition causes obesity among children, undernourished children have classical features of underweight which is low weight for age and it is a reflection of chronic and acute undernutrition. Children with low height for age are said to be stunted and it measures chronic child undernutrition.
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