Prevalence of nutrition associated ponderal outcomes among school children and adolescents in Ebonyi State, South‑East Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of obesity, overweight, and underweight are increasing worldwide and have posed a significant public health concern over the last decade in developed and developing countries. Monitoring the weight status of children and adolescents is paramount in assessing for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Objective: The study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of obesity, overweight and underweight among school children and adolescents in Ebonyi state, South‑East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional design was adopted, 1620 subjects (849 males and 771 females) 5–18 years of age, were randomly sampled. Anthropometric measurements include height and weight, body mass index (BMI) was derived from the ratio of weight per height squared. BMI‑for‑age <5th, 85th to <95th, and ≥95th percentile were classified as underweight, overweight and obese respectively, according to the International Obesity Task Force reference. Results: The prevalence of obesity, overweight and underweight were 12.6%, 11.9% and 7.6%, respectively, in the urban subjects and 1.5%, 2.3% and 20.3%, respectively, in the rural subjects. Conclusion: The prevalence of underweight among rural school children and adolescents is high, thus a need for nutritional intervention.