title: Changing patterns of under- and over-nutrition in South African children-future risks of non-communicable diseases.
abstract: Under- and over-nutrition in children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa was investigated comparing data collected from primary school children in a rural district (643 children aged 8-11 years in 1994) with secondary data from the National Schools Study (16,179 children, 4-11 years in 1994), the Vitamin A Consultative Group Study (408 children, 2-5 years in 1994) and the Income Dynamics Study (1,593 children, 2-11 years in 1998). Stunting and wasting (WHO/NCHS guidelines) and overweight and obesity (International Obesity Task Force guidelines) were retrospectively analysed from these studies and compared in the children aged 4-5 and 8-11 years. There was moderate stunting in 10-25%, wasting in 1-6%, 5-24% were overweight and 1-10% obese. Girls in the National Schools Study (p<0.005) and in the primary datasets (p=0.02) had a significantly higher prevalence of overweight than boys; girls (1.4%) were also more obese than boys (0.9%) in the Schools Study (p=0.002), and the boys significantly more stunted (p<0.005) and wasted (p<0.005). An increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity was seen in both the 4-5- and 8-11-year age-groups. The finding that moderate stunting co-exists with overweight and obesity suggests that patterns of under- and over-nutrition in South African children are changing and might indicate the early stages of a complex nutritional transition. Action is required to prevent the future risk of non-communicable diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Champaklal C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Jinabhai
authors.forename: Myra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology