title: Undernutrition of children in Massachusetts.
abstract: Over the past 10 years, seven separate studies of children at risk from undernutrition in Massachusetts have been performed. The surveys have ranged from a statewide health center-based investigation to a house-to-house survey in a public housing project. All included children between 1 and 6 years of age. Chronic undernutrition was defined as a height-for-age less than the 5th percentile of the National Center for Health Statistics growth charts, and acute undernutrition was defined as a weight-for-height less than the 5th percentile. The prevalence of chronic undernutrition was greater than expected in four surveys, whereas no acute undernutrition was observed. The prevalence of obesity, defined as a weight for height greater than the 95th percentile, was increased in four of the seven surveys. These data suggest that chronic undernutrition is increased among children at risk in Massachusetts.
authors.affiliation: New England Medical Center, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition, Boston, MA 02111.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Dietz
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D005006:Ethnicity; D005380:Financing, Government; D005522:Food Services; D006077:Government Agencies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008404:Massachusetts; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status