Nutritional status of Kuwaiti elementary school children aged 6–10 years: comparison with the NCHS/CDC reference population

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional sampling survey was to assess the nutritional status of Kuwaiti elementary school children aged 6-10 years in comparison with the NCHS/CDC American reference population. The study comprised a multistage stratified random sample of 8957 children (4401 males and 4556 females) which amounts to about 12% of the target population. Weights and heights of children were measured. Obesity was defined as weight-for-height (W/H) 2.00 to 5.00 standard deviation (SD) scores of the reference population. Underweight and short stature were defined as weight-for-height (W/H) and height-for-age (H/A) -4.00 to -2.00 and -5.00 to -2.00 SD scores, respectively. The results of this study showed that obesity was found to be significantly (P < 0.01) higher in males (15.7%) than in females (13.8%). Underweight was found to be almost equally prevalent among both genders (3.7% in males and 3.8% in females). Short stature (H/A) -5.00 to -2.00 SD scores) was found to be 7.1% (9.5% in males and 4.6% in females). When compared with an earlier study, changes in W/H were significant across most of the centile categories. However, significant changes in H/A were noted with less frequency than W/H; mostly in the upper centiles for both genders. More significant changes, however, were noted among males than females. In conclusion, Kuwaiti children were found to be heavier and shorter than American children. Moreover, the children were found to be fatter and slightly taller but nonetheless more nutritionally sound than a decade earlier.