[Differences in the nutritional and health status among illegal immigrant adolescents from Morocco and Algeria].
OBJECTIVE
We decided to determine if there were differences in the nutritional and health status among illegal immigrant adolescents from Morocco and Algeria.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study (1997-2003); 120 male adolescents (86 Moroccans and 34 Algerians) admitted to protection centers of Zaragoza City were assessed. The nutritional status was assessed using the anthropometric method. The health status was assessed according to a standardized medical and laboratory protocol.


RESULTS
The mean age (SDU) of the Moroccans was 15.9 (1.2) years and the mean age of the Algerians was 15.6 (1.5) years. Significantly lower values of weight (p = 0.027), upper arm circumference (p = 0.0005) and subscapular skinfold thickness (p = 0.023) along with a significantly higher incidence of ferritin isolated deficiency (p = 0.027; odds ratio = 7.54; 95% CI, 0.96-59.32) were observed in the Moroccan adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Illegal immigrant adolescents from Morocco had a significantly lower nutritional and iron reserves status than that observed in illegal immigrant adolesents from Algeria.
Oliván Gonzalvo
Gonzalo
G
Servicios de Pediatría y Adolescencia, Instituto Aragonés de Servicios Sociales, Gobierno de Aragón, Zaragoza. España. g.olivan@comz.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000462:Algeria / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology