Study on Nutritional Status Among Secondary School Children in a Rural Area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Adolescents health status is a cumulative effect of the health and nutritional problems occurring during early childhood as well those originating in period of adolescence. Objectives: To determine nutrition and health status of adolescents using body mass index, dental caries and visual acuity, and the relationship between BMI, gender, age and period of adolescence. Methods: A Cross-sectional study was conducted during January to December, 2016 among secondary school children in a selected rural area as sample. A total 106 study subjects were selected purposively. Data were collected by interview and previous records by pretested questionnaire and data collection sheet. Results: In present study, the mean age of the 106 respondents was 13.92 ±1.6 years. Among 106 respondents, 60 (56.6%) were female and 46 (43.4%) were male. A total of 106 respondents, 63 (59.5%) respondents were underweight, 40 (37.7%) respondents were Normal weight and only 3 (2.8%) were overweight. The mean BMI of was 18.18 ± 2.78. Majority of the respondents 99 (93.4%) drunk the Tube-well water. Conclusion: Under weight is an important issue than over weight among rural secondary school children in Bangladesh.