Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
A Study of Correlation of Anthropometric Measurements to the Status of Anemia in School Children
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Most of the school children suffer from anemia, but the good thing is that majority of them having easily treatable anemia i.e. Iron deficiency anemia and it is estimated to affect one - half of school age children in developing countries. The school years are opportune time to intervene.
No coherent, coordinated and effective health services are available in country for below 16 years. So attempt was made to know real scenario of status of anemia and its relationship with the anthropometric measurements. The present study was carried to know prevalence of anemia and its relationship with the anthropometry. A Community based study carried out in 363 school children, 5-15 years age in peri-urban and slum areas of Allahabad for six months and simple random sampling method adopted. Weight and Height were measured by using standard procedure. Hemoglobin was measured by Hemokwik hemoglobin color scale. Z-score at -2SD was taken as cut-off point for stunting. Data analyzed with help of statistical software. Out of 363 subjects, 66.1% were males, 33.9% females, mean age, height weight, BMI and Hemoglobin were 9.67±2.87, 125.99±16.64, 25±9.53, 15.26±2.33, 9.97±1.08 respectively, 95% were anemic , 70.25% were stunted (<-2Zscore) and 10.7% were severely stunted(<-3 Z-score). Hemoglobin level is directly related to mean height and weight, as hemoglobin decreases mean height(h) and weight (w) decreases, rh=0.211, correlation is significant at 0.01 level and rw=0.235 correlation is significant at 0.05 level respectively, ANOVA shows p-value 0.052, frequent episode of infection is correlated to stunting ,rs=0.32,significant at 0.01 level, Hemoglobin level correlate to chest circumference (cc) and growth retardation(gr), rcc=0.199 and rgr=-0.198, both are significant at 0.05 level. Thus it is concluded that anthropometry to be the most sensitive parameter for the anemia in school children.
Keywords
- Chandna S and Sehgal S Prevalence of deficiency diseases among school children Health and Population - Perspectives and Issues,1994; 17(1&2): 108-113.
- Jellife BD The assessment of nutritional status of the community World Health Organization, Geneva,1996; 63-78.
- Report of a WHO expert committee, Geneva, Physical status: - The use and interpretation of anthropometry, World Health organization, 1995. Technical Report Series no. 854:329.
- Calverton, MD: National Institute of Nutrition (Kazakhstan) & Macro International Inc. Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Survey, 1995.
- De Maeyer EM. Preventing and Controlling Iron Deficiency Anemia through Primary Health Care. A Guide for Health Administrators and Programme Managers. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1989.
- Sahu T, Sahani NC , Patnaik L Childhood Anemia – A study in Tribal area, Mohana of block in Orrisa Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 2007; 32, (1):43-45.
- Verma M, Chhatwal J, Kaur G, Prevalence of anemia among urban school children of Punjab Indian Pediatric, 1998; 35 (12): 1181- 1186.
- Nemati A,Barak M, Dehghan MH, Alimohammadi H,Ettehad GH, Baghi N, et al. Relation between Iron Deficiency and Anemia Whit School girls aged 12years old in Ardebil Province of Iran, Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2007; 2 (3): 263-267.
- Handa R, Ahamad F, Kesari KK , Prasad R Assessment of Nutritional Status of 7-10 Years School Going Children of Allahabad District: A Review Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 2008; 3 (3): 109-115.
- Shantos CD, Santos LM, Figueiroa JN, Marroquim PM, Oliveira MA Anemia in Public School first graders in the city of Maceio, Algoas, Brazilcad Saude Publica ,2002;18: 1757-1763.
Abstract Views: 420
PDF Views: 1