Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: November | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 214-221
Comparison of Stunting and Thinness among Early Adolescents from Government and Private Schools of Dharan, Nepal
Tripti Shakya1*, Chandra Bhushan Jha2**, Sarun Koirala3**, Anup Ghimire3#, Nivedita Pandey4**, Dharnidhar Baral4#, Nirdesh Shakya5##, Uttam Shrestha4*
1Lecturer, 2Professor, 3Associate Professor, 4Assistant Professor, 5Co-ordinator,
*Department of Human Anatomy, Patan Academy of Health sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal.
**Department of Human Anatomy, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
#Department of School of Public Health, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
##Tzu Chi International Medical Association, Nepal.
Corresponding Author: Tripti Shakya
ABSTRACT
Background: Early adolescence (10-13 yrs) is the period of rapid growth and maturation in human development. Under nutrition among adolescents is a serious public health problem internationally, especially in developing countries like Nepal. Nutritional deprivation affects almost all growth parameters including adult body size resulting into thinness and stunting.
Objective: To determine overall prevalence of stunting, thinness and severe thinness among study population and compare them with respect to government and private schools.
Materials and Methods: Comparative cross sectional study was conducted in different schools of Dharan sub-metropolitan city, Nepal. A total of 800 early adolescents were selected, 400 each from 6 government and 18 private schools. Height and weight was measured and BMI calculated. Height for age and BMI for age based on WHO 2007 guidelines were used as indicator to assess nutritional status.
Results: Among study population 23.9% stunted, 13.0% thinned, 5.9% were severely thinned. The prevalence of stunted, thinned and severely thinned adolescent was higher in government schools as compared to those in private schools. In government schools, these were higher among male than female. Whereas in private schools stunting was same among both genders while thinness was higher among males and severe thinness was higher among females.
Conclusion: The prevalence of under nutrition is higher among early adolescents in the study area, being much higher among early adolescent from government than private schools.
Key words: Early adolescents, Anthropometry, Stunting, Thinness, Severe Thinness.