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Undernutrition in Nepalese children: a biochemical and haematological study

Arijit Ghosh1, Sutanu Dutta Chowdhury, Tusharkanti Ghosh

  • 1Department of Clinical Physiology, Nepal Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|January 31, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Undernourished Nepalese children show mild iron deficiency, indicated by lower serum iron and ferritin levels. Deficiencies in serum protein, folate, and vitamin B12 were also observed in stunted children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Hematology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Assessing nutritional status in children is crucial for growth and development.
  • Hematological and biochemical markers provide insights into micronutrient deficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the nutritional status of Nepalese children aged 6-10 years.
  • To measure key hematological and biochemical parameters in relation to nutritional status.

Main Methods:

  • Nutritional status assessed using height-for-age z-score.
  • Measured red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and iron-related biomarkers (serum iron, TIBC, ferritin, transferrin saturation).
  • Assessed serum albumin, folate, and vitamin B12 levels.

Main Results:

  • Stunted children had significantly lower red blood cell count, serum iron, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and serum albumin (p < 0.05).
  • Higher mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, total iron-binding capacity, and serum transferrin were noted in stunted children (p < 0.05).
  • Significantly lower serum folate and vitamin B12 levels were found in stunted children (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Mild iron deficiency is prevalent in stunted Nepalese children, with serum ferritin as a sensitive indicator.
  • Undernourished children exhibit deficiencies in serum protein, folate, and vitamin B12.
  • Height-for-age z-score is a useful indicator for assessing nutritional status and micronutrient deficiencies.
Abstract

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