A comparative study of the nutritional status of children in urban and rural areas of Kwara state, Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional status of children in urban and rural areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. The height, weight, chest, head and mid‐upper‐arm circumferences of 2,246 Kwaran children aged 2 to 13 years were measured. The preponderance of the weights of both urban and rural Kwaran children were below 99% of Harvard standard. In the rural area (Shao), both the male and female children weighed less than 90% and 99% of Harvard standard, respectively. In the urban school children, 7.6% of the male and 14.9% of the female weighed over 100% of Harvard standard. Children in urban areas had better anthropometric indices compared to their rural counterparts. It was concluded that children in rural areas are at risk of Protein Energy Malnutrition therefore, there is an urgant need for nutritionists, agriculturists and other primary health care workers to form multidisciplinary teams to assist rural dwellers to correct growth deficits in children.

Key words:

• urban
• rural children
• nutritional status
• Kwara State
• Nigeria