The nutritional status of children in resettlement villages in Kelantan.
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health
;
1999 Mar; 30(1): 122-8
Article
in English
| IMSEAR
| ID: sea-36141
ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional survey of the nutritional status of children aged 1-10 years old from the Kuala Betis resettlement villages was carried out. A total of 620 children were examined, of which 329 were preschool children and 291 were schoolchildren. The age was determined and anthropometric measurements such as weight, height and MUAC were taken. The nutritional status was assessed by looking at the distributions of the z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) in relation to the growth charts of the National Center for Health Statistics reference population. It was found that the nutritional status of the Orang Asli children was poor, with a prevalence of 33.7-65.3% underweight, 55.3-74.4% stunting and 4.4-29.7% wasting based on the NCHS reference values. The prevalence of malnutrition among the Malay children was lower, underweight--7.3-34.1%, stunting--9.8-34.1% and wasting--1.7-17.1%. The nutritional status of the Orang Asli children were poorer compared to the Malay children. More preschool Orang Asli children were stunted compared to the Orang Asli schoolchildren. This may be due to the poor economic base of the Orang Asli community during the transformation period after resettlement. A comprehensive primary health care program is essential, especially targeting the preschool Orang Asli children in these resettlement villages.
Full text:
Available
Index:
IMSEAR (South-East Asia)
Main subject:
Primary Health Care
/
Refugees
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Child Nutrition Disorders
/
Poverty Areas
/
Nutrition Assessment
/
Child
/
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health
Year:
1999
Type:
Article
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