The prevalence of malnutrition among high and low altitude preschool children of southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The prevalence of malnutrition among high and low altitude preschool children of southwestern Saudi Arabia.
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作者：
F. Al-Hashem
目的了解高原和低海拔地区12-71月龄学龄前儿童蛋白质能量营养不良的现状。方法在2003年进行了一项横断面研究，涉及572和469名学龄前儿童的沙特阿拉伯西南部出生和永久生活在高海拔和低海拔地区。根据世界卫生组织的标准，采用体重不足、消瘦和发育迟缓等3项指标进行人体测量，以评估PEM的患病率。患病率的差异进行了检查的年龄，性别，海拔高度，和父母的社会经济地位。结果低海拔地区3种PEM的患病率明显高于高海拔地区，文盲儿童的患病率明显高于文化程度高的儿童。年龄较大的儿童比年龄较小的儿童体重不足和发育不良的情况更多，男孩体重不足和消瘦的情况明显多于女孩。人均家庭年收入与体重不足和发育迟缓呈显著负相关，但与消瘦无关。多因素分析表明，在控制了所有社会生物学因素后，低海拔仍然是一个很强的危险因素。结论高、低海拔地区学龄前儿童PEM的差异可能与高海拔地区较温和的环境条件和低地儿童热带感染的发生率较高有关。未来的研究需要验证这些推测，并建立控制和预防低海拔地区学龄前儿童PEM的计划。
OBJECTIVE To assess the current status of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in the high and low altitude preschool children aged 12-71 months. METHODS A cross-sectional study conducted during the year of 2003 and involved 572 and 469 preschool children of Southwestern Saudi Arabia born and living permanently at high and low altitude areas. Anthropometric measurements were carried out to assess the prevalence of PEM using 3 indicators such as underweight, wasting and stunting following World Health Organization standards. Prevalence differences were examined by age, gender, altitude, and parental socioeconomic status. RESULTS The prevalence of the 3 types of PEM was significantly higher at low altitude than at high altitude and significantly higher among children born to illiterate than to educated parents. Older children were more underweight and stunted than younger children and underweight and wasting were significantly more common in boys than girls. Annual family income per person was negatively and significantly associated with underweight and stunting, but not with wasting. Multivariate analysis showed that after controlling for all sociobiological factors, low altitude remained a strong risk factor. CONCLUSION The difference in PEM between high and low altitude preschool children could be related to the milder environmental conditions at high altitude and the higher incidence of tropical infections in lowland children. Future studies are required to verify these speculations, and to establish programs to control and prevent PEM in preschool children at low altitude.