Dietary pattern, height, weight centile and BMI of affluent school children and adolescents from three major cities of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the dietary pattern, height, weight centile and BMI of affluent school children and adolescents from three major cities of Pakistan.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Private Schools of Karachi, Quetta and Lahore, from September 2007 to March 2008.

METHODOLOGY

The affluent socioeconomic group was identified by the monthly income of the parents (average>Rs.15,000 per month, $246); school fees of child (average>Rs.1,500 per month, $25) and household items such as computer, refrigerator, washing machine, television, car etc. A total of 652 healthy immunized children with no history of chronic infection, inducted through multistage stratified sampling were divided into groups A, B, and C by ages of 6-9, 10-13, and 14-17 years respectively. Height, weight and 24 hours diet recall was obtained. Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), clinical charts with 5th and 95 percentile for standard height and weight were used. Food records subjected to USDA food exchange list were used. Forms were used as inputs to generate tables for Statistical Package for social sciences -SPSS, Window 13.0.

RESULTS

In girls calories and food intake in group A and B of Quetta was lower (p<.005) vs. other cities. No significant difference was seen in group C. Fat intake was the same in the girls of all 3 groups. In boys caloric carbohydrates and protein intake of group A of Quetta vs. groups B and C was significant by different National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) height and weight in groups A and B were at the 50-90 centile and at 25-50 in group C, centile. BMI (kg/m2) in girls and boys of group A were not different. BMI was highest in group B girls (mean 22+/-5) and group C boys (25+/-4) of Quetta.

CONCLUSION

Children of affluent schools of Karachi compared to Quetta are taking more junk food but their consumption of protein is lowered and of a poor quality. Overall fat is below normal recommended standards. However, minimum fat intake was seen in school children of Quetta when compared with Karachi and Lahore. Carbohydrate consumption was adequate. BMI was highest in boys of Quetta than Lahore and Karachi. Majority of children on NCHS centile charts plotted between the 50th-90th centiles.