Anthropometric indices and measurements on primary school children of contrasting parental occupations.
The nutritional status in relation to parental occupation is a useful undertaking in predicting requirement of population groups. The investigation reported here was conducted to document the nutritional status of children 6-15 years of age of contrasting parental occupations living in Anambra State Community, Nigeria. The main weights of Anambra State boys at 6 years of age were 20.2 kg compared with teachers 19.5 kg and traders 15.7 kg. The weight achievement of the trader's at 15 years of age was 84% those of farmers' children. Similar conclusion may be drawn for height of both boys and girls for the contrasting occupation groups. The arm size of the farmers' children was initially low but hereafter it was similar to that of boys of other occupation groups, however the arm size of other civil servants (girls) was 26.3 cm compared with 21.1 cm for other businessmen's girls. On the other hand, the skinfold estimate of the teachers' boys (3.8 mm) and girls (3.8 mm) aged 10 years was statistically different (p less than 0.01) from the highest values (7.1 mm) for boys and (8.4 mm) girls at same age. Household diets were 90% of safe level of intake for civil servants and most farmers' children; that was accompanied by low dietary intake of riboflavin--81.3% for civil servants and 84% for farmers; thiamin 100% for civil servants and 79.3% for farmers. The Vitamin A intake of civil servants were also 85.7% safe level of adequacy. The information obtained was assessed from the point of view of its usefulness in the area surveyed for both the nutritionists and the clinicians and its long term benefit for Nigeria in National food policy and planning. These can be applied for other countries.
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D009790:Occupations; D010290:Parents; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013831:Thiamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014801:Vitamin A; D012256:Riboflavin; D013831:Thiamine