Nutritional Status and Hygiene Behavior of Government Primary School Kids in Central Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted among kids at the campus of Town Government Primary School, Darul Ulum Government Primary School and Jahangir Smrity Seberasrom Government Primary School in Tangail municipality, the hub of the Tangail district and consequently the central body of Bangladesh. From these three schools 60% (n= 45) boys and 40% (n=30) girls were selected for the study by using the simple random sampling method. Results reveal that 80% (n=12), 73.33% (n=11), 86.67% (n=13), 80% (n=12) and 77.33% (n=11) school kids were in underweight at class 1 to class 5 orderly, 20% (n=3) kids were in normal weight at classes 1, 2 and 4 and 13.33% (n=2) and 6.67% (n=1) kids in normal weight at classes 5 and 3. 6.67% (n=1) kids were overweight at classes 2, 3 and 5 and 6.67% (n=1) was obese in class 5. The basic hygiene behaviors of children have significant positive effects on their nutritional status. Almost 100% school kids told that they always washed their hands with shop before and after meal taking and after the use of toilet and 98.67% (n=74) washed their hand coming back home from outside. About 77.78% (n=35), 17.78% (n=8) and 4.44% (n=2) boys brushed their teeth two, one and three times a day respectively while 66.67% (n=20), 20% (n=6) and 13.33% (n=4) girls brushed teeth two, one and three times a day respectively. The study also showed that 97.78% (n=44) boys and 93.33% (n=28) girls used sandal all the day as one of their main hygiene practices.