| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 2
| Issue : 2 | Page : 59-64 |
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Growth status of school children and adolescents in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria
Nto Johnson Nto1, Chike I.P. Anibeze2, Ogugua A Egwu3, Emmanuel Nebuwa Obikili1, Augustine Uchenna Agu1, Godson Emeka Anyanwu1, Francis N Ozoemena1
1 Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Enugu, Nigeria
2 Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria
3 Department of Anatomy, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Nto Johnson Nto
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nsukka, Enugu
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2315-7992.153818
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Background: Growth assessment is useful in monitoring children's growth. It often reveals their physical characteristics, health and nutritional status, and infers their biological well-being. The present study was conducted to evaluate the physical growth status of schoolchildren and adolescents in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was followed, which involved a random sampling of 1,620 subjects (849 males and 771 females) selected from schools in urban and rural communities of the state. Anthropometric measurements included height and weight; the body mass index (BMI) was also assessed and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 reference standards was used for comparison. Results: The median weight values of the urban subjects (males and females) tend to be higher than the CDC reference standard. The median weight of the rural females compared fairly while the rural males deviated below the reference standard at the age of 10-18 years. Compared to the CDC standards, the median height of the urban and rural subjects tends to be higher during childhood; the urban subjects at the age of 15-18 years deviated below the reference standard while the rural subjects deviated below the reference standard from the age of 13 years. The median BMI values of the urban females were higher than the standard; the urban males and rural females were almost identical to the reference chart. In contrast, the median BMI values of the rural males were below the standard. Conclusion: The age-matched increase in the anthropometric parameters evaluated indicates a normal growth pattern, and there was a marked difference in the anthropometric parameters and growth performance of urban schoolchildren and adolescents compared to their rural counterparts. The growth patterns of schoolchildren and adolescents in Ebonyi State appeared comparable to the CDC growth reference charts. |
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