Growth, Body Composition and Nutritional Status of Children and Adolescents in Lafia and Doma Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Growth, Body Composition and Nutritional Status of Children and Adolescents in Lafia and Doma Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, Nigeria
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Date
2022
Authors
Monday, NWANKWO
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Abstract
Assessment of nutritional status of children and adolescents is a good indicator of socioeconomic
growth of a community. The best worldwide indicator of children and
adolescents‘ well-being is growth. The assessment of growth provides information about
health and nutritional status of children and adolescents. In Nigeria, little attention is paid
to the growth of children > 5 years. As a result, data on growth and nutritional status of
children and adolescents in Nigeria are limited. Anthropometric measures have long been
used for assessments of growth and nutritional status, but percentile ranges for healthy
Nigerian children and adolescents are currently unavailable. Anthropometric and sociodemographic
data from 7,321 children and adolescents from Nasarawa State were collected
from preschool, nursery, primary, junior and senior secondary schools from Lafia (urban
setting) and Doma (rural setting) Local Government Areas. The nutritional status was
examined by converting measurementsto z-scores using the World Health Organization
growth reference. z-scores for height <−2 and <−3 were considered as moderate stunting
and severe stunting (that is, shortstature); BMI z-scores <−2 and <−3 were considered as
moderate thinness and severe thinness (or underweight) and those> +1 and > +2 as
overweight and obesity, correspondingly. Meanz-scores and the prevalence below or above
these cut-offswere calculated by age and sex. Deviation from the expectedmean of zero was
tested with a one-sample t-test within agegroups, and differences in mean z-scores between
boys andgirls with an unpaired sample t-test.The Lamda, Mu and Sigma (LMS) method
was used to constructsix (6) smoothed-percentile reference curves and the LMS parameters
needed for z-score estimation by age and sex were generated. The prevalence of moderate
and severe stunting for the overall population are 20.3% and 6.5%, respectively, whereas,
the prevalence of moderate and severe thinness for the combined population were 32.6%
and 14.2%respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were respectively 2.7%
and 0.6%. The prevalence of stunting and thinness were higher in boys (21.1% and 36.1%
respectively) than in girls (18.0% and 29.5% respectively). Compared to the WHO
reference, percentiles of height and BMI of children and adolescents from Nasarawa State
were generally lower. This difference was appreciably more pronounced in boys than in
girls. Age- and sex-specific-smoothed-percentiles and corresponding LMS variables for
height, weight, BMI, skinfold thicknesses (biceps, triceps, sub-scapular and supra-iliac),
MUAC and its derived measures (UAMA and UAFA) were fitted. Multiple logistic
regression demonstrated that moderate stunting was affected by father‘s educational
background, compared to mother‘s level of education. In contrast, severe stunting had
stronger association with mother‘s level of education than father‘s educational background.
However, ethnicity was not associated with stunting. Parent‘s educational background was
not associated with moderate thinness. However, father‘s level of education showed
stronger association with severe thinness compared to mother‘s level of education.
Moreover, stepwise logistic regression showed the order of influence of parent‘s level of
education as mothers with no formal education > father with no formal education > father
attaining primary education > mother attaining secondary education. In conclusion, this
study revealed a high prevalence of stunting, thinness and low level of overweight and
obesity among children and adolescents from Lafia and Doma Local Government Areas
indicating growth faltering and malnutrition. Children and adolescents from these Local
Government Areas fall below WHO centile references. This study established up-to-date
centile curves for height, weight, BMI, MUAC and its derived measures and skinfold
thicknesses. These reference curves describe the current status of these anthropometric
markers and can be used as a basis for comparison in future studies.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN HUMAN
ANATOMY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN ANATOMY,
FACULTY OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES,
COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA