Ethnic group differences in nutritional status of young children from low-income areas of an urban county

Abstract

A nutrition assessment survey was undertaken among 566 preschool children from randomly selected low income households located within an urban county. The purpose of the survey was to determine the prevalence of selected nutrition problems and to identify relationships among ethnic and economic variables and nutritional status. Underweight was identified in 1.8%, overweight in 15.4%, and short stature in 13.1% of children. Southeast Asian children had a higher prevalence of short stature than the other ethnic groups. Low hemoglobin values were identified in 4.3%, low hematocrit in 6.9%, and elevated erythrocyte protoporphyrin in 6.0% of children. The prevalence of elevated EP was significantly higher among Southeast Asian children than non-Southeast Asians and likely was due to iron deficiency. Results of the survey suggest that Southeast Asian children constitute the group at highest nutritional risk in the low income areas surveyed.