Nutritional Profile of Saudi Primary Schoolgirls in an Urban Region

Abstract

Two hundred eighty-five primary schoolgirls from the urban area of Thugba, Al-Khobar, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were examined anthropometrically. Hemoglobin estimations and laboratory stool analysis for ova and cysts were also performed. When compared to the standards of the US National Center for Health Statistics, the height-for-age measurements were below the median, lying between the 10th and 25th percentiles except in the 6-year-olds, who showed no stunting. This feature excludes the possibility of severe malnutrition in the prenatal period and infancy. Weight-for-height performance showed a trend toward overnutrition. We are thus inclined to believe that there is a genetic rather than nutritional component for stunting in the older children. Of the study group, 26.4% had anemia, and 9.2% were infested with one parasite or more, and anemia was common in those harboring infestations. Whereas most studies on nutritional status in Saudi Arabia have been conducted on preschool children, 1-5 data from urban-based samples and particularly the school age group are scarce. With 72% of the population urbanized in the Kingdom, according to 1985 data, 6 there is a need to investigate the health situation in cities and towns for a more realistic picture of the country. Moreover, schoolchildren are in a phase when growth and development are continuing, and though they are not in the preoarious state of health as preschool children, they are often malnourished and suffer from a variety of parasitic and infectious diseases. They are also in an impressionable stage. Economically and logically, school age is the right time and place for health and nutrition education to show longterm results.With these facts in view, the present study was conducted in the urban area of Thugba (Al-Khobar, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) to evaluate the nutritional profile of female primary schoolchildren at the ages of 6 through 12 years and to conduct need-oriented health education sessions. We felt such data would eventually provide a basis for the planning of a broader based study of Saudi schoolchildren.The present research formed a major part of the requirements for a field training program of undergraduate medical students (level IV) in community medicine. Sampling and MethodsThugba residents could be largely classified as belonging to a middle socioeconomic level. Our intention was to investigate the nutritional profile of schoolchildren representative of this community; hence, we selected only public

Anthropometry and body composition of school children in Bahrain

“…This suggests that children had a good growth phase during the preschool age period and excludes the probability of severe or prolonged malnutrition in the critical growth periods of intrauterine life, infancy and the preschool ages. Similar results were reported by Rasheed et al 6 in their study on Saudi children.…”

“…Earlier studies from other Arab Gulf states such as those from Oman and Saudi Arabia 4 – 6 20 also showed that children in these countries were shorter and lighter than their counterparts in the present study. However, a recent study by El Mouzan et al for the development of reference growth charts of Saudi children and adolescents showed comparable findings for height and weight.…”

Iron Deficiency Anaemia In Reproductive Age Women Attending Obstetrics And Gynecology Outpatient Of University Health Centre In Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

“…In Saudi Arabia most of the studies on anemia werebased on nutritional status and concentrated on preschool children who were under six years old [El Hazmi et al, 1998;Rasheed et al, 1989;Sabai et al, 1981;Sadeghipour et al, 1996].In Saudi Arabia, anemia is often aggravated by repeated and closely spaced pregnancies. Al-Ahsa is a small city located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.…”

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia among Female Elementary School Children in Northern Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

“…Consequently, anemic children tend to do poorly on vocabulary, reading, and other tests [11] . In Saudi Arabia most of the studies on anemia were based on nutritional status and concentrated on preschool children who were under six years old [12][13][14][15][16] , so data on the nutritional status of children and adolescents in the Kingdom are insufficient [17,18] .…”