WHO Reference Population Research Articles

Nutritional Status of Preschool Aged Children in Anambra State, Nigeria

Eradicating childhood malnutrition is important if childhood mortality must be reduced. Reduction of childhood mortality is the fourth agenda on the eight point Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In order to assess the nutritional status of under-five year old children in Anambra State Nigeria, South Eastern Nigeria, a population based cross-sectional study was carried out using a survey of anthropometric data. Data was collected from 1188 pre-school age children from rural communities in Local Government Areas distributed within the three geopolitical zones of the State. Analysis of data was done using WHO Anthro statistical software (Version 3.2.2). Anthropometric indices and cut-offs based on WHO (2006). Normalized reference tables were used to assess degree of malnourishment. Malnutrition was defined as indices below minus two (-2) standard deviation from the median values of the standard WHO (2006) reference population. Result of the work showed that the rate of stunting, wasting and underweight were 1.1% 24.9% and 0.8% respectively. Labourers, plumbers, tailors, nurses and vulcanizers consisted the parental groups whose children/wards had weight-for-height Z-scores below minus 2 (two) standard deviation from the median value of the reference (WHO 2006) This result suggests that steps should be taken towards preventing seasonal increases in the prevalence of acute malnutrition in rural areas in the South Eastern Nigeria.

Prevalence and Determinants of Chronic Malnutrition Among Under-5 Children in Ethiopia

Objectives: This paper studied the prevalence and determinants of chronic malnutrition in under-5 children from the 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey dataset. Methods: The 2011 EDHS collected data on the nutritional status of children by measuring the height and weight of all children under age five in the sampled households, and calculated anthropometric indicators using the new WHO (2006) growth standards. Children whose height-for-age Z-score was below minus two standard deviations (−2 SD) from the median of the WHO reference population are considered stunted or chronically malnourished and if Z-scores are between −3 SD ≤ Z-score < −2 SD were identified as moderately stunted and if below −3 SD as severely stunted. Some variables were computed by combining information for original variables. The 2011 Ethiopian DHS dataset was obtained for further analysis from MEASURE DHS after permission. Complete anthropometric data for 9,611 children aged 0 to 59 months were analyzed. Results: The overall prevalence of stunting in children was 42.3%, with 20.4% severely stunted. Socio-demographic factors were significantly associated with both severe and moderate forms of stunting. Multivariate analysis showed that parents' education, household wealth index, age of household head, child's age, months of breast-feeding, place of delivery, media exposure, mother's BMI and residential differentials were the underlining determinants of stunting. Conclusions: Chronic malnutrition in children is a public health problem in Ethiopia specifically as children grow older to age three. To achieve the Millennium Development Goal target of 34% malnutrition prevalence by 2015, it is imperative to have specific interventions focusing on causes that directly influence stunting in children.

Predictors of body mass index of Colombian 5 to 18 year old children

We examined the role of municipality, household, and individual factors on body mass index (BMI) among children 5 to 18 years measured in the Colombian National Nutrition Survey of 2005 (n=7,802) and 2010 (n=10,302). We used multilevel models with municipality as level‐3 (park density and GINI inequality index as predictors), household as level‐2, child as level‐1, and BMI z‐score (BMIZ) relative to the WHO reference population as outcome. Municipality explained 3% of variability in BMIZ in 2005 and 2% in 2010. Park density (0.03 per increase in park z‐score, p<0.05) and inequality (0.05 per unit increase in GINI z‐score, p<0.01) were positively associated with BMIZ in 2010. Household level explained 40% of variability in 2005 and 31% in 2010. Wealth (0.07 and 0.12 per quintile increase) and living in an urban section of the municipality (0.24 and 0.12 vs. rural, p<0.05) were positively associated with BMIZ in both 2005 and 2010. Being part of an extended family was positively associated (0.08 vs. nuclear, p<0.01) and family size was inversely associated (−0.05 per member increase, p<0.01) with BMIZ in 2005. Age was inversely associated and being a girl was positively associated with BMIZ in both surveys. The 2005 and 2010 models differed. The positive relationship with park density and inequality is counterintuitive. The association between wealth and BMIZ differs from that observed in developed country settings.

Nutritional Status of Adolescent Girls from Rural Communities of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Background: Addressing the nutritional needs of adolescents could be an important step towards breaking the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition.Objective: Assess nutritional status of rural adolescent girls.Design: Cross-sectional.Methods: Anthropometric and socio-demographic information from 211 adolescent girls representing 650 randomly selected households from thirteen communities in Tigray was used in data analysis. Height-for-age and BMI-for-age were compared to the 2007 WHO growth reference. Data were analyzed using SAS, Version 9.1.Results: None of the households reported access to adolescent micronutrient supplementation. The girls were shorter and thinner than the 2007 WHO reference population. The cross-sectional prevalence of stunting and thinness were 26.5% and 58.3%, respectively. Lack of latrine facilities was significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.0033) andthinness (p