Assessing nutritional status of students in Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences using anthropometric indices [2007]

ABSTRACT

Nutritional assessment is an important method in public health for measuring health status of people in community. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status of students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences [RUMS] using anthropometric indices Body Mass Index [BM1], Waist Circumference [WC] and Mid Upper Arm Circumference [MUAC]. This cross sectional study was done on 694 students of RUMS in 2007. Appropriate tools were used for measuring weight, height, waist circumference and mid upper arm circumference. Obesity and abdominal obesity were detected based on the scores of BMI and WC. Also malnutrition was defined according to the scores of MUAC. Data were analyzed using t test and Pearson correlation coefficient methods. Results showed that 10.7% [n=14] and 1.4% [n=10] of respondents were overweight and obese, respectively. Seven point eight percent of students [n=54] had abdominal obesity. There was a significant correlation between BMI and WC [r=0.81, p=0.01] Also 13% of the students [90] were underweight. Three point sixteen percent of girls [n=18] and 7.1% of boys [n=90] were malnourished based on MUAC measurement. There was a significant correlation between real BMI and estimated BMI by the MUAC [p=0.001, r=0.84]. There was also a correlation between BMI scores and MUAC [r=0.83, p=0.001]. Overweight, obesity and under weight due to malnutrition are important health problems among the students of RUMS. It seems that using MUAC can estimate BMI in adults