A Study of Correlation of Anthropometric Measurements to the Status of Anemia in School Children

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.