Anthropometric measurements determinant nutritional status of urban primary school children in selected areas of Iran and India: A comparative study

Background: Malnutrition is a widespread problem in developing countries. Information on nutritional status of primary school children are not enough in Iran and India. The present study, made to assess prevalence of undernutrtion, stunting and wasting among urban school children in Mumbai in India and Ahwaz in Iran. Methods: Height and weight of 4570 including 2234 Iranian (1016 boys, 1218girls) and 2336 Indian (1240 boys, 1096 girls), aged 6-9 years, attending primary schools residing in Mumbai, India and Ahwaz, Iran were measured and the body mass index (BMI) calculated. The World Health Organization‘s (WHO) anthropometric indices of weight-for-age (WA) and height-for-age (HA) and weightfor-height were used to assess the children's nutritional status. Results: Underweight, stunting and wasting occurred in 3.2%, 1.5% and 4.1%% of Indian and 0.2%, 5.4% and 1.7% of Iranian children. WAZ mean scores of children were -0.071±1.195 for boys and -0.287±3.241 for girls in Iran and -0.238±0.823 for boys and 0.108±1.080 for girls in India. HAZ mean scores were -0.163±1.219 for boys and -0.515±3.141 for girls in Iran and -0.028±0.770 and -0.017±0.993 for girls in India. BMI mean scores were 0.044±1.081 for boys and 0.304±0.957 for girls in Iran and -0.345±0.796 for boys and -0.181±1.281 for girls in India. Among Iranian children0.2% (χ 2 =30.428, p=0.000) and 3.2% Indian children had weight for age z-scores below 2 SD (χ 2 =55.361, p=0.000). Only 1.5% Indian children and 5.4% Iranian children had height for age z-scores below -2SD (χ 2 =11.553, p=0.000 and χ 2 =24.034, p=0.000). In Iran 1.7% and 4.1% of Indian children were wasted (χ 2 =11.176, p=0.004 and χ 2 =40.088, p=0.000).Among Indian children, 1.3% had weight for height z –scores > +2SD compared to 3.6% Iranian children.