Regional Prevalence of Short Stature in Saudi School-Age Children and Adolescents

Mohammad I El Mouzan,Ahmad A Al Omer,Mansour M Qurachi,Abdullah A Al Salloum,Abdullah S Al Herbish

doi:10.1100/2012/505709

Abstract

Objective. To assess the magnitude of regional difference in prevalence of short stature in Saudi children and adolescents. Subjects and Methods. A representative sample from three different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (North, Southwest, and Center) was used to calculate the prevalence of short stature (standard deviation score less than −2) in children 5 to 17 years of age. Results. There were 9018 children and adolescents from 5 to 17 years of age (3366, 2825, and 2827 in the Northern, Southwestern and Central regions, resp.) and 51% were boys. In both school-age children and adolescents, there was a significantly higher prevalence of short stature in the Southwestern than in the Northern or the Central region (P < 0.0001). Conclusion. The finding of significant regional variation between regions helps in planning priorities for research and preventive measures.

Highlights

Short stature which is the result of poor linear growth is a common referral of children and adolescents to specialized clinics for investigations
These findings suggest that regional variation in prevalence of other nutritional disorders such as short stature may exist in school-age children and adolescents
The prevalence of moderate short stature in school-age children is presented in Table 1 indicating a significantly higher prevalence in the Southwestern than in the Northern or the Central region (P < 0.0001)

Summary

Introduction

Short stature which is the result of poor linear growth is a common referral of children and adolescents to specialized clinics for investigations. National prevalence data are important, significant regional variations in the prevalence of nutritional disorders such as malnutrition in preschool children have been reported which resulted in recommendations for priorities for further research and preventive programs for regions with high prevalence of malnutrition [6]. These findings suggest that regional variation in prevalence of other nutritional disorders such as short stature may exist in school-age children and adolescents.

Methods

Results

Conclusion