Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors of malnutrition and its association with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) among Karen hill tribe children. We conducted a study on blood samples from children from Baan Yang Poa School, Chiang Mai, Thailand aged between 9 and 15 years old. Of 193 children, 31 (16.1%) had malnutrition and 12 (6.2%) had IDA. Children who had at least five family members were found to have a significantly higher risk of malnutrition (P = 0.005), a reflection of the importance of socioeconomic factors in the problem of malnutrition. We also found that malnutrition was not associated with IDA although the assessment of the association of malnutrition and other types of anaemia is still of interest.
Highlights
Good nutrition is a well-known factor in human growth, health and development, albeit many people have malnutrition resulting from dietary insufficiency [1]
This study has focused on Karen children in Northern Thailand and aimed to determine the risk factors of malnutrition and its association with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) among them
The proportion of malnutrition was high for children with at least five family members (P = 0.001), and if the father was a farmer (P = 0.023), while the level of correct belief about food consumption was correlated with malnutrition (P = 0.042)
Summary
Good nutrition is a well-known factor in human growth, health and development, albeit many people have malnutrition resulting from dietary insufficiency [1]. Insufficient essential vitamins and minerals in the diet increase the risk of infectious diseases and can eventually lead to nutritional deficiency, poor growth and anaemia. Low haemoglobin/haematocrit levels resulting from malnutrition are often associated with anaemia, a global health problem in both developing and developed countries. In Thailand, the highest prevalence of IDA (12%) was found among Karen hill tribe children living in Chiang Mai [8]. The numerous minority hill tribe children growing slower than expected suffer from anaemia because they do not get enough nutrients in their diet for normal growth and development, and for maintaining a healthy immune system [10]-[12]
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