Malnutrition among primary and secondary school students from 2008 to 2021 in Zhejiang Province
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2024269
- VernacularTitle:浙江省2008—2021年中小学生营养不良状况
- Author:
YANG Ying, ZHENG Weijun, GU Fang, MENG Jia, LI Juanjuan, GAO Lei, SHEN Yu, ZHANG Ronghua
1
Author Information
1. School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou (310053) , Zhejiang Province, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Malnutrition；Emaciation；Growth retardation；Child；Adolescent
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2024;45(9):1255-1259
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To describe the prevalence characteristics and trend of malnutrition among primary and secondary school students in Zhejiang Province from 2008 to 2021, so as to provide scientific references for targeted interventions on malnutrition among children and adolescents.
Methods:Based on the National Student Common Diseases and Health Influencing Factors Surveillance Project, 81 228 primary and middle school students aged 9-17 from Zhejiang Province were recruited for a questionnaire in 2008, 2014 and 2021, with stratified cluster random sampling method. Malnutrition was determined by Screening for Malnutrition in School aged Children and Adolescents. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for non normally distributed data, and the Chi square test was used for categorical data. A trend Chi square test analyzed detection rates across different years.
Results:The prevalence rates of malnutrition, stunting, mild wasting, and moderate to severe wasting among primary and secondary school students in 2008, 2014 and 2021 were 12.0%, 6.6%, 6.0%; 1.2%, 0.5%, 0.3%; 6.0%, 3.9%, 3.6%; and 4.7%, 2.2%, 2.2%, with an overall declining trend ( χ 2 trend =532.73, 181.43, 161.24, 240.38, P <0.05). The prevalence rates of malnutrition and mild wasting in each year were higher in boys (13.7%, 7.6%; 7.5%, 5.0%; 7.1%, 4.5%) than in girls (10.3%, 4.4%; 5.5%, 2.7%; 4.8%, 2.5%) ( χ 2=54.45, 88.67; 47.04, 81.07; 85.28, 98.81; P <0.01). The difference in malnutrition prevalence between urban and rural areas gradually narrowed (12.5%, 11.6%; 6.9%, 6.3%; 6.0%, 6.0%), with no statistically significant difference in 2021 ( χ 2= 0.01 , P >0.05). Malnutrition among primary and secondary school students was primarily characterized by mild wasting (56.0%) in Zhejiang Province. Compared to 2008, the prevalence of malnutrition in 2014 and 2021 showed a steady upward trend with increasing age in Zhejiang Province( χ 2 trends =44.52, 11.78, P <0.01).
Conclusions:The prevalence of malnutrition among primary and secondary school students aged 9 to 17 years in Zhejiang Province decreases by year from 2008 to 2021. However, the prevalence increase steadily with age, and boys have a higher prevalence of malnutrition. Policies should be developed age , gender , and growth appropriate dietary patterns to reduce malnutrition among primary and secondary school students.
