Nutritional status of 11-12-year-old Jamaican children: coexistence of under- and overnutrition in early adolescence.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the nutritional status of a cohort of 11-12 year olds and ascertain social and demographic factors associated with under- and overweight in early adolescence.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Subgroup (n = 1698) of the birth cohort (September-October 1986) of the Jamaican Perinatal Survey enrolled in schools in the Kingston Metropolitan area. One thousand and sixty-three parents or caregivers provided social and demographic information.


RESULTS
Undernutrition and overnutrition are of public health significance among adolescent Jamaican children. Ten per cent of 11-12 year olds had body mass index (BMI) values below the 5th percentile (boys, 10.6%; girls, 7.1%) but this prevalence is relatively low compared with other developing countries. The prevalence of stunting was low (3%). The prevalence of overweight (BMI > or = 85th percentile) (19.3%) was approaching prevalence rates found in the USA. Similar social and demographic variables were associated with thinness and fatness in males. Birth weight predicted overweight in girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Under- and overnutrition in early adolescence are important problems in Jamaica. There is a need to address both under- and overnutrition in adolescence in preventive and rehabilitative intervention programmes.
Jackson
Maria
M
Department of Child Health, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica. majacksn@uwimona.edu.jm
Samms-Vaughan
Maureen
M
Ashley
Deanna
D
D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors