Promotion of

Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics

under the auspices of

Department of Home and Health Sciences

ABSTRACT

This nutritional survey was conducted to assess the malnutrition and anemia problems in rural schoolboys at Chak # 263/RB (Dijkot), Faisalabad. A total of 144 school children of different age groups (60 to 168 months) were randomly selected and included for anthropometrics measurement to categorize them into different degrees of malnutrition according to the Jellifies classification. Their hemoglobin levels were also determined to classify them into anemic and non-anemic categories.

On the basis of anthropometric measurements, the collected data revealed that only 50 children were found normal. Whereas 94 were found to be malnourished in different degree of malnutrition. Out of these malnourished children 52 and 42 were in 60-180 months and 109-168 months age group respectively. Only 8 children fell into severe (4 th degree) malnutrition. Mean weight of normal and malnourished children was 29.04 (plus/minus 0.538) and 22.72 (plus/minus 0.691) kg respectively. Mean Hemoglobin (Hb) levels in normal and malnourished children were 11.97 (plus/minus 0.138) and 11.73 (plus/minus.177) g/dl respectively. In normal children group 15 children were found to be anemic whereas, in malnourished children population they were found to be 40. Hence overall prevalence of anemia was 38.19%. The data was statistically analyzed which exhibit significant relation with age and nutritional group.

All the anthropometrics measurements of children reduced towards escalated degree of malnutrition and were below as compared to those for developed countries. Further, hemoglobin levels also decreased against severity of malnutrition. The overall results revealed that the prevalence of malnutrition and anemia were on the increase among rural school children of the area. The situation can however be overcome through implementation of the recommendations made at different levels.