Sharifzadeh Gholamreza, Mehrjoofard Hassan, Raghebi Soori
Birjand University of Medical Sciences. Birjand, IR Iran.
Iran J Pediatr. 2010 Dec;20(4):435-41.
Malnutrition is one of the important health problems throughout the world, particularly in developing countries, which has undesirable effects on mental and physical health of children. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of malnutrition in children under 6 years old in Privince South Khorasan, Iran, in 2007.
This cross sectional and descriptive analytical study was conducted on children under 6 years old in South Khorasan Iran, belonging to six urban and rural regions applying multistage cluster sampling methodology. Data were collected through measuring weight and height, structural questionnaires Anthropometric Nutrution Indicators Survey, and face-to-face interviews with mothers. Malnutrition was measured on the basis of the indices underweight, wasting and stunting. The obtained data was analyzed by means of chi-square test in the packages SPSS and EPI-Info 2000, taking α= 0.05 as the significant level.
Out of 1807 children 51.7% were males, 52.2% living in urban areas, and 37% were under 24 months old. Weight index was normal in 52.2% children, 34.4% lightly underweight, 11.7% moderately underweight and 1.2% severely underweight. Prevalence of underweight had a significant relationship to habitation, mothers' job and parents' education level. According to stunting criteria, 55% were normal, 28.4% lightly stunted 12.7% were moderate, and 3.9% severe stunted. Stunting also had a significant relationship to habitation, age, mother's job, and parents' level of education. Wasting criteria showed that 67.8% were normal 24.7% light, 5.9% moderate and 1.6% had severe wasting. This had a significant relationship to sex and habitation.
Prevalence of malnutrition was in children and its relationship to socioeconomic variables, measures such as increasing parents' education - especially mothers' knowledge - constancy of breast feeding until the age of 2 years, and promoting nutrition status of children under 6 years are recommended.
营养不良是全球重要的健康问题之一，在发展中国家尤为突出，会对儿童的身心健康产生不良影响。本研究旨在查明2007年伊朗南呼罗珊省6岁以下儿童的营养不良患病率。
本横断面描述性分析研究采用多阶段整群抽样方法，对伊朗南呼罗珊省6岁以下儿童进行研究，这些儿童来自六个城乡地区。通过测量体重和身高、使用结构问卷“人体测量营养指标调查”以及与母亲进行面对面访谈来收集数据。根据体重不足、消瘦和发育迟缓指数来衡量营养不良情况。利用SPSS和EPI-Info 2000软件包中的卡方检验对所得数据进行分析，以α = 0.05作为显著水平。
在1807名儿童中，51.7%为男性，52.2%居住在城市地区，37%年龄在24个月以下。52.2%的儿童体重指数正常，34.4%轻度体重不足，11.7%中度体重不足，1.2%重度体重不足。体重不足患病率与居住环境、母亲职业和父母教育水平存在显著关系。根据发育迟缓标准，55%正常，28.4%轻度发育迟缓，12.7%中度发育迟缓，3.9%重度发育迟缓。发育迟缓也与居住环境、年龄、母亲职业和父母教育水平存在显著关系。消瘦标准显示，67.8%正常，24.7%轻度消瘦，5.9%中度消瘦，1.6%重度消瘦。这与性别和居住环境存在显著关系。
儿童中存在营养不良现象，且与社会经济变量有关，建议采取提高父母教育水平（尤其是母亲的知识水平）、坚持母乳喂养至2岁以及改善6岁以下儿童营养状况等措施。
