Nutritional Evaluation Using Dfferent Anthropometric Variables in Nigerian School Children

The anthropometric characteristics of 600 apparently healthy children of ages between 5 and 10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja Nigeria; consisting of males (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.10 ? 1.98 and females (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.68 ? 1.86 were selected for the evaluation of their nutritional status using different anthropometric variables. The anthropometric characteristic of their height; age; weight; mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC); chest circumference and body mass index (BMI) was measured and analysed statistically for any significant difference; and correlation between the parameters studied. The results show some significant differences (P = 0.05) between the anthropometric parameters and a significant correlation (=0.001) between the height and BMI; and other parameters in males and females. The study derived a linear regression and a multiple linear regression equations for Gbagyi children from which height; age; weight; MUAC; chest circumference and BMI could be predicted if one factor is known. The results from the present study provided an insight into the nutritional status of Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja using the BMI and MUAC which showed if a child is malnourished; overweight or obese. The results from the present study show that there is a positive correlation between height and age; and other parameters indicating that height could be predicted using age; weight; BMI; chest circumference and MUAC; while BMI and mid upper arm circumference could be a useful tool in the estimation of nutritional status among Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja

Vaccination coverage survey in Dhaka District.

A survey was conducted in Dhaka District to measure the level of routine immunization coverage of children (12-23 months), to assess the tetanus toxoid (TT) immunization coverage among mothers of children (12-23 month), to evaluate EPI program continuity (dropout rates) and quality (percent of Invalid doses, vaccination card availability etc.) For this purpose, a thirty cluster cross-sectional survey was conducted in October 2002 to assess the immunization coverage in Dhaka. In this survey 30 clusters were randomly selected from a list of villages in 63 Unions of Dhaka following probability proportion to size (PPS) sampling procedure. A total of 210 children was studied using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was employed using software SPSS package for data analysis. The study showed that the routine immunization coverage in Dhaka among children by 12 months of age by card + history was 97% for BCG, 97% for Diphtheria, Pertussis Tetanus (DPT 1) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV 1), 75% for DPT3 and OPV3 and 67% for measles. Sixty six percent of all children surveyed had received valid doses of all vaccines by 12 months (fully immunized child). Programme access as measured by crude DPT1 coverage was better in Keranigonj (97%). Vaccination cards retention rate for children was 84%. Invalid DPT (1,2 or 3) doses were given to 25% of vaccinated children; 18% of measles doses were invalid. Surprisingly, major cause for invalid doses were not due to early immunizations or due to card lost but for giving tick in the card, instead of writing a valid date. DPT1 and DPT3 and DPT1- Measles drop out rates were 5% and 13% respectively. Major reason parents gave for never vaccinating their children (zero dose children) was (43%), major reasons for incomplete vaccination was lack of knowledge regarding subsequent doses (46%). TT surveys were also conducted for mothers of the children surveyed for vaccination coverage (mothers between 15-49 year old). Valid TT 1-5 coverage by card+ history was 97%, 55%, 44%, 24% and 11%, respectively. Card retention rate for TT was 67%. The findings of this study revealed that access to child and TT immunizations were good. But high dropouts and invalid doses reduced these percentages of fully immunized child to 66%. Programmatic strategy must be undertaken to reduce the existing high dropout rate in both child and TT immunizations.