HOW DO THEY GROW - A STUDY OF SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIAN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Citation
L. Brabin et al., HOW DO THEY GROW - A STUDY OF SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIAN ADOLESCENT GIRLS, Acta paediatrica, 86(10), 1997, pp. 1114-1120
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Pediatrics
Journal title
ISSN journal
08035253
Volume
86
Issue
10
Year of publication
1997
Pages
1114 - 1120
Database
ISI
SICI code
0803-5253(1997)86:10<1114:HDTG-A>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
This study assessed the nutritional status of Nigerian adolescent girl s living in two areas of south-eastern Nigeria. A cross sectional surv ey was undertaken in a rural village in Ogoniland, and five secondary schools in Port Harcourt, south-eastern Nigeria. All (386) menarcheal girls aged 14-19 y living in the rural village, and a stratified clust er sample (845) of menarcheal girls aged 14-19 in the five urban schoo ls were investigated. Mean heights and weights of rural girls were aro und -1 Z-score below the British reference median. 10.4% of rural and 4.7% of urban girls were stunted (less than or equal to 2nd centile, B ritish 1990 reference values). After calculating mean body mass Index- for-age, various cut-off points for low body mass index were tested. A t a cut-off of less than or equal to 9th centile, 15.6% of rural and 8 .0% of urban girls would be classified as thin. Girls with a haemoglob in <10.0 g/dl were significantly more likely to have a law body mass i ndex than those with haemoglobin values greater than or equal to 10.0 g/dl. More studies are needed to refine the definition and interpretat ion of low body mass index in adolescents.