A Community Based Study of the Antropometric Indices of Adolescent School Girls in Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Detecting malnutrition among adolescent girls is important because of its critical role in maternal and perinatal mortality. This study was done to asses the nutritional status of adolescent school girls in Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria using anthropometric parameters.
Method:Anthropometric indices of one thousand and sixty eight girls (1068) aged 10 to 19 years from eight public secondary schools in Oshimili local government area of Delta State, Nigeria were assessed using height ,weight, skin fold thickness {Body fat %(BF%) and Body fat Kg (BF Kg) } and bodymass index(BMI). Centile curves were estimated using Cole’s LMS
method. Themean height and weight of girls studied were compared
to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) international reference standard. The height andweight centile curves of the girls studied were matched with NCHS centile curves.
Results: Therewere no significant differences in themean height (p>0.05),meanweight (p>0.05),BMI (p>0.05),BF%(p>0.05) and
BF (kg) (p>0.05) between the urban and rural girls studied. The meanweight of rural girls (p<0.05) and urban girls (p<0.05)were significantly lower than the mean weight of NCHS standard. The height of the girls was not significantly different from the NCHS standard both among rural (p> 0.05) and urban (p>0.05) girls. Also the weight centile curves of the whole girls studied were consistently lower at each weight centile curve of NCHS when matched.
Conclusion: The adolescent schoolgirls in this study site weighed significantly lower than the NCHS international reference standard. There is need for improved nutrition targeted at adolescent girls in these Nigerian communities.

Niger Med J. Vol. 49, No. 4, Oct – Dec, 2008: 91 – 95.