title: Micronutrient levels and nutritional status of school children living in Northwest Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several micronutrients are essential for adequate growth of children. However, little information is available on multiple micronutrient status of school children in Ethiopia. The present study was designed to evaluate the relationship between multiple micronutrient levels and nutritional status among school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, anthropometric data, blood and stool samples were collected from 100 children at Meseret Elementary School in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Serum concentration of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Anthropometric indices of weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age were used to estimate the children's nutritional status. Stool samples were examined by standard microscopic methods for intestinal parasites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and intestinal parasitoses among school children was 23%, 21%, 11% and 18%, respectively. The mean serum levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were 2.42±0.32 (mg/dl), 15.31±2.14 (mg/dl), 328.19±148.91 (μg/dl), 191.30±50.17 (μg/dl), 86.40±42.40 (μg/dl), 6.32±2.59 (μg/dl), and 0.23±0.15 (μg/dl), respectively. Selenium deficiency, zinc deficiency and magnesium deficiency occurred in 62%, 47%, and 2% of the school children, respectively. Height-for-age showed significant positive correlation with the levels of copper and molybdenum (p = 0.01) and with the levels of magnesium (p = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deficiencies of selenium and zinc were high among the school children although the deficiencies were not significantly related with their nutritional status. The prevalence of both malnutrition and intestinal parasitism was not negligible. These calls for the need to undertake multicentre studies in various parts of the country to substantiate the data obtained in the present study so that appropriate and beneficial strategies for micronutrient supplementation and interventions on nutritional deficiencies can be planned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia. amarebem6@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bemnet
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amare
authors.forename: Beyene
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moges
authors.forename: Bereket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fantahun
authors.forename: Ketema
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tafess
authors.forename: Desalegn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woldeyohannes
authors.forename: Gizachew
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yismaw
authors.forename: Tilahun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayane
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yabutani
authors.forename: Andargachew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mulu
authors.forename: Fusao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Afework
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kassu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements