title: Double burden of nutritional disorders in young Iranian children: findings of a nationwide screening survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the national prevalence of short stature, underweight, overweight and obesity in 6-year-old Iranian children before school entry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional nationwide survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mandatory national screening programme before entrance to elementary school in 2008 in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  All Iranian children entering public and private elementary schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population comprised 862,433 children (48.4% girls, 77.2% urban resident). Overall, 6.5% of children had short stature, 19.1% were underweight, 12.8% were overweight and 3.4% were obese. There was no significant difference in terms of gender, but considerably larger differences were documented among various provinces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The double burden of nutritional disorders among young children warrants a multi-faceted national policy with evidence-based local programmes. Such planning needs a comprehensive surveillance system and centralized data registry for children's growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Preventive Cardiology, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 81465-1148, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Motlagh
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kelishadi
authors.forename: Mohammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Amirkhani
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ziaoddini
authors.forename: Marziyeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dashti
authors.forename: Tahereh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aminaee
authors.forename: Gelayol
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ardalan
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mirmoghtadaee
authors.forename: Sousan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
authors.forename: Parinaz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poursafa
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*