Anthropometric indices and nutritional status of low-income school-aged children of a county of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a pilot study

Abstract

The growth and nutritional status of 185 school-aged children (97 boys and 88 girls) of low socio-economic level in Nova Iguaçú, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were studied. Nutritional anthropometry identified 3.52 and 6.25% of the children as suffering from wasting and stunting, respectively. These prevalences of malnutrition were comparable to those described in pre-school children living in a "favela" (shanty town) of Rio de Janeiro. In general, the median height fell below the 25th centile of the international standard of growth. The value of 10 year-old boys fell below the 10th centile. The mean values of weight and height of these children were comparable to those of children from the Northeastern region of Brazil ("Nordeste"), higher than those found for children in the State of Paraíba, Brazil, and lower than those for middle-class children of the State of S. Paulo. Skinfold thickness, arm circunference, and arm fat area data were higher in girls than boys. However, arm muscle are values in boys were superior in comparison to those of girls.