title: Nutritional status of urban Nigerian school children relative to the NCHS reference population.
abstract: The present study assessed the growth problems in an indigenous African population of Nigerian urban public school children. The study population consisted of 1390 Nigerian children (predominantly Igbo), 718 boys and 672 girls, ages 4-10 years. Compared to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference population, the Nigerian children had an excess prevalence of both short stature and underweight. The prevalence of short stature was 14.2% for the boys and 17.4% for the girls. Approximately 20% of the children were underweight whereas less than 1% were considered overweight. These data demonstrate an excess of both acute and chronic malnutrition relative to the NCHS reference population.
authors.affiliation: University of Benin, Department of Community Health, Nigeria.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ukoli
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Adams-Campbell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ononu
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Nwankwo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chanetsa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009309:National Center for Health Statistics, U.S.; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013334:Students; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population