Anthropometric assessment of nutritional status of Muslim adolescents of Deganga, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India

Argina Khatun; Mithu Bhadra; Ashish Mukhopadhyay; Kaushik Bose

Authors

Argina Khatun Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India
Mithu Bhadra Department of Anthropology, Dinabandhu Mahavidyalaya, Bongaon, West Bengal, India
Ashish Mukhopadhyay Department of Anthropology, Acharya Prafulla Chandra College, New Barrackpore, West Bengal, India
Kaushik Bose Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India

Keywords:

Adolescents, bengalees, BMI, muslims, sex differences

Abstract

A cross-sectional study of 1068 Bengali Muslim boys (n=522) and girls (n=546) aged 10-17 years of Deganga, Barasat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India, was undertaken to study their age and sex differences in nutritional status. The subjects were classified into eight age groups: 10-10.9 years (n = 56, 62), 11-11.9 (n = 63, 73), 12-12.9 (n = 65, 82), 13- 13.9 (n = 77, 79), 14-14.9 (n = 84, 78), 15-15.9 (n = 71, 70), 16-16.9 (n = 60, 55), 17-17.9 (46, 47). Individuals falling below the age and sex specific fifth percentile of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) were defined as undernourished. The overall rate of undernutrition was 41.67%. The rates of undernutrition of boys varied between 23.33% among 16 years old to 72.73% at age 13 years. The rates of undernutrition of girls varied between 11.43% among 15 years old to 58.90% at age 11 years. The prevalence of undernutrition (combining all ages) varied between boys (52.49%) and girls (31.32%). In general, this study provided evidence that the Bengalee Muslim adolescents had moderate rates of undernutrition. These rates were, in general, lower than those reported in other developing countries including previous Indian studies.

References

Ahmed, F., Zareen, M., Khan, M. R., Banu, C. P., Haq, M. N. and Jackson, A. A. (1998). Dietary patterns, nutrient intake and growth of adolescent school girls in urban Bangladesh. Pub. Health Nutr. 1: 83-92.
Beghin, I., Cap, M. and Dujardin, B. (1988). A guide to nutritional assessment. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Bhadra, M., Mukhopadhyay, A. and Bose, K. (2001). Body mass index, regional adiposity and central body fat distribution among Bengalee Hindu girls : A Comparative Study of Pre-menarcheal and Menarcheal Subjects. Acta. Med. Auxol. 33: 39 – 45.
Bhadra, M., Mukhopadhyay, A. and Bose, K. (2004). Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics among 11-14 year old urban Bengalees of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Anthropologie (Brno). 42(2): 137-140.
Bose, K. and Mukhopadhyay, A. (2004). Nutritional status of adolescent Bengalee Boys. Indian Pediatrics. 41: 633.
Cookson, S. T., Woodruff, B. A. and Slutsker, L. (1998). Prevalence of anemia and low body mass index among adolescents 10- 19 y of age in refugee camps in Dadaab District, Kenya. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, G. A.
De, O. M., Dasgupta, P., Saha, S., Sengupta, D. and Blossner, M. (2001). The National Center for Health Statistics reference and the growth of Indian adolescent boys. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 74: 248-253.
Himes, J. H. and Bouchard, C. (1989). Validity of anthropometry in classifying youths as obese. Int. J. Obes. 13: 183-193.
International Rescue Committee. (1997). Nutritional status of school aged children in Kakuma refugee camp. International Rescue Committee, Nairo. Kanade, A. M., Joshi, S. B. and Rao, S. (1999). Undernutrition and adolescent growth among rural Indian boys. Indian Pediatrics. 36: 145-156.
Kurz, K. M. (1996). Adolescent nutritional status in developing countries. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 55: 321-331.
Lohman, T. G., Roche, A. F. and Martorell, R. (1988). Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual. Human Kinetics Books, Chicago. Must, A., Dallal, G. E. and Dietz, W. H. (1991). Reference data for obesity: 85th and 95th percentiles of body mass index (wt/ht2 ) and triceps skin fold thickness. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 53: 839-846.
Rahmathullah, L., Underwood, B. A., Thulasiraj, R. D., Milton, R.C., Ramaswamy, K., Rahmathullah, R. and Babu, G. (1990). Reduced mortality among children in Southern India receiving a small weekly dose of vitamin A. N. Engl. J. Med. 323: 929 – 935.
Rolland-Cachera, M.F. (1993). Body composition during adolescence: methods, limitations and determinants. Hormone Research. 39: 25-40.
Singh, J. and Mondal, N. (2014). Use of upper – arm anthropometry s measure of body composition and nutritional assessment in children and adolescents (6 – 20 years) of Assam, Northeast India. Ethiop. J. Health Sci. 24(3): 243 – 252.
Singh, N. and Mishra, C.P. (2001). Nutritional status of adolescent girls of a slum community of Varanarsi. Indian J. Public Health. 45: 128-134.
Ulijaszek, S. J. and Kerr, D. A. (1999). Anthropometric measurement error and the assessment of nutritional status. Brit. J. Nutr. 82: 165-177.
Venkaiah, K., Damayanti, K., Nayak, M.U. and Vijayaraghavan, K. (2002). Diet and nutritional status of rural adolescents in India. Eu. J. Clin. Nutr. 56: 1119-1125.
Woodruff, B. A., Slutsker, L. and Cook, S. T. (1998). Prevalence of anemia and low body mass index in adolescents 10-19 y age in Kakuma camp, Kenya. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Woodruff, B. A., Duffield, A., Blanck, H., Larson, M. K., Pahari, S. and Bhatia, R. (1999). Prevalence of low body mass index and specific micronutrient deficiencies in adolescents 10-19 y of age in Bhutanese refugee camps, Nepal, October 1999. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
Woodruff, B. A. and Duffield, A. (2002). Anthropometric assessment of nutritional status in adolescent populations in humanitarian emergencies. Eu. J. Clin. Nutr. 56: 1108- 1118.
World Health Organization. Measuring nutritional status. (1985). World Health Organization, Geneva.
World Health Organization. (1995). Physical Status. The Use and Interpretation of Anthropometry. Technical Report Series No. 854. World Health Organization, Geneva.