Publication: Anthropometrically Determined Undernutrition among the Adolescent Girls in Kathmandu Valley
Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
No information exists regarding the health of the adolescent girls residing in
Kathmandu valley in urban setup.
Objective
To evaluate the prevalence of undernutrition among the adolescent girls living in
Kathmandu valley. It also aims to know the distribution of weight, height and body
mass index of adolescent girls in relation to the different adolescent age groups.
Method
A cross sectional study was conducted in one government and two private schools
in Kathmandu valley from 16th April to 15th September 2010. Anthropometric
measurements were recorded using standardized methodology as recommended by
World Health Organization (WHO). Standard operational definitions like percentiles,
mean, standard deviation and proportions were used for analysis.
Result
Four hundred adolescent girls were enrolled randomly, out of which 111 girls (27.8%)
were from government school and 289 girls (72.2 %) were from private schools.
Maximum were of 16 years of age and the least were of 19 years of age, mean age
being 15.4 years of age. Of them, early, mid and late adolescents were 41%, 35% and
24% respectively. Around one third of the study population were stunted (32%), one
fourth were underweight (24%) and one tenth of them were thin (9.5%) based on
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS )standard.
Both underweight and stunted girls were significantly more during the late
adolescence period (P<0.001). However, thinness was not significant in any of the
three adolescent age groups.
Conclusion
A high prevalence of undernutrition in terms of stunting, underweight and thinness
exists among the adolescent girls in Kathmandu valley.
KEY WORDS
Adolescent girls, Kathmandu valley, undernutrition
Description
B Shrestha
Department of Pediatrics
Gandaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital,
Pokhara, Nepal
Keywords
Adolescent girls, Kathmandu valley, Undernutrition