The nutritional status of outpatients at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health

To study the nutritional status and prevalence of malnutrition in outpatients at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH).

A cross-sectional study was done in outpatients at the Well-baby Clinic (WBC) and Outpatient Department (OPD), in May 1999. Patient sex, age, weight and length or height were recorded. Per cent weight for age (%W/A), per cent height for age (%H/A) and per cent weight for height (%W/H) were determined, using Thai standard growth data (1999).

A total of 3,667 children were included in the study including 1,903 well children from the WBC and 1,764 sick-children from the OPD. The gender distribution was 49 per cent girls and 51 per cent boys. Their ages ranged from 10 days to 16 years. Nutritional status was classified as normal in 49.4 per cent, underweight in 19.8 per cent, wasting in 12.4 per cent, stunting in 12.8 per cent, overweight in 15.4 per cent and obesity in 10.4 per cent. The prevalence of normal, underweight and wasting status at the OPD were significantly higher; whereas, the prevalence of stunting, overweight and obesity status were significantly higher at WBC. There were no gender differences, except for a higher prevalence of stunting in males (p < 0.05).

Malnutrition is still a health problem in Thai children, both undernutrition and overnutrition. Good nutrition must be promoted to prevent malnutrition and early detection of malnutrition should be a major concern of health care personal with introduction of early intervention.