The prevalence of obesity and wasting in primary school girls in the city of Zahedan

Background: One of the routine methods in diagnosis of physical growth and study of obesity and
wasting prevalence in children is, through body weight and height indicators and its comparison
with NCHS standard respectively.
Methods and Materials: According to a descriptive study 2067 girl students from primary schools
aged 7-11 years were chosen in a randomized and systemic method from two different areas of
Zahedan. Hence weight and height were measured. In order to determine under weight, stunting
and wasting different indices as: body weight for age, height for age and weight for height on the
basis of NCHS standard were employed. On the basis of below 3rd percentile NCHS standard was
determined malnutrition. Furthermore obesity was determined by body mass index too, in this
regard below 5th percentile was considered wasting and above 95th percentile obese.
Results: The results on the basis of weight for age, weight for height and height for age were
15.6% (under weight), 9% (wasting) and 15% (stunting) respectively. According to percentiles of
the weight for height 11.2% and 14.2% of the students were waste in lower and higher class
respectively. According to increasing of the age, the different percentiles of weight and height
growth were more changed as compared with NCHS standard. However on the basis of body mass
indexes 1% of students were obese and those in higher class had better situation than those in lower
class.
Conclusions: Therefore it is concluded that obesity is not a major problem as compared to
wasting. Besides it seems the reduction of those indicators were showed different degree of protein
energy malnutrition in the children. Hence it is usually recommend further studies and applied from
regional standards.