Body composition, growth and nutritional status in rural and urban children ages 12-13 years in El-Minia, upper Egypt

ABSTRACT

The present study is based on a sample of 2400 school children ranging in age from 12 to 13 years, residing in El-Minia, upper Egypt, classified into rural [boys] N=600 and girls N=600] and urban groups [boys N=600 and girls N=600]. All were subjected to anthropometric measurements, skinfold thickness at biceps, triceps and subscapular sites to determine their body fat content. Upper arm anthropometry were estimated to determine, midran circumference and upper-arm muscle and fat areas. The mean values of body parameters, percentage and body fat and upper-arm anthropometry included midarm circumference, upper-arm muscle and fat areas were found to be significant [P<0.001] more in urban children than rural children of both sexes. The boys [rural and urban] were had relatively more mean values of muscle than fat areas, contrast to the upper-arm at fat areas. Girls in general were aquired significant [P<0.001] higher mean values in most of studied body measurements than boys in rural as well as in urban areas. Moreover, urban girls were taller, heaviar, and had more mean values of all the studied body dimensions than the other children groups, followed by rural girls, urban boys and rural boys respectively. A scientive evaluation of growth and nutritional status were relized from specific anthropometric characteristics [height, body weight, midram circumference, upper-arm muscle and fat areas and body mass index]. Urban children particularly the girls were found within normal range of growth and well-nourished. While rural children were relatively less. This result suggested that the influence of environmental stress such as nutritional status and socioeconomic had a great influence in producing differences in body parameters and growth during childhood. So a more studies that focusing on physical of El-Minia population is much required to more understanding of the nature and extent of the biological variance in growth parameters at different ages