Nutritional status of primary schoolchildren in Garhwali Himalayan villages of India.
BACKGROUND
Anemia and micronutrient deficiencies are common among Indian schoolchildren. However, past studies have narrowly focused on only a few micronutrients and have not carefully evaluated the association between sociodemographic factors and nutritional status of schoolchildren.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the nutritional status of schoolchildren in Himalayan villages of India and to determine the relationships between their nutritional status, intestinal helminth infection, and sociodemographic characteristics.


METHODS
A random sample of 499 children 6 to 10 years of age from 20 public primary schools was selected. Household sociodemographic data and morbidity data on children were collected through interviews with their caretakers. Height and weight were measured, and venous blood was drawn for assessment of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, retinol, zinc, folic acid, vitamin B12, and C-reactive protein. Stool samples were analyzed for parasitic infections. Results. Underweight, stunting, and wasting were present in 60.9%, 56.1%, and 12.2% of schoolchildren, respectively. Anemia, iron-deficiency anemia, and low serum concentrations of ferritin, zinc, retinol, folate, and vitamin B12 were found in 36.7%, 10.2%, 24.1%, 57.1%, 56.1%, 67.9%, and 17.4% of the children, respectively. One-fifth of the children had intestinal parasites. Being underweight was associated with lower household wealth (p < .05). Helminth infection was associated with stunting, anemia, and low serum retinol (p < .05). Living at higher altitude was associated with low serum levels of ferritin, retinol, and vitamin B12. There were no associations between any sociodemographic variables and serum zinc orfolate.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth impairment and micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent among schoolchildren in Himalayan villages of India.
Osei
Akoto
A
Helen Keller International, Asia Pacific Regional Office, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. akotosei@yahoo.com
Houser
Robert
R
Bulusu
Saraswati
S
Joshi
Tripti
T
Hamer
Davidson
D
D000531:Altitude; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D009017:Morbidity; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D018977:Micronutrients