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Nutritional status of preschool children attending kindergartens in Kosovo
Agim Rysha1, Tahire M Gjergji2, Angelika Ploeger3
1Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Agribusiness, University of Pejë, Rr. "UÇK-së", 30000, Pejë, Kosovo. agim.rysha@unhz.eu.
Insights
This study assessed the nutritional status of preschool children in Kosovo. While underweight is decreasing, a significant prevalence of overweight and obesity risk exists in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Limited data exists on malnutrition among preschool children in Kosovo.
- Assessing nutritional status is crucial for early intervention and public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To profile the nutritional status of preschool children attending kindergartens in Kosovo.
- To identify trends in underweight, overweight, and obesity within this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 352 children (12-59 months) and 134 children (60-83 months).
- Anthropometric measurements (weight and height) were collected using standardized equipment.
- Statistical analyses included chi-square, Student t test, and Mann-Whitney test to compare groups.
Main Results:
- Mean z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and BMI-for-age were generally within the expected range.
- Prevalence of stunting was 3% and wasting was 1.9%.
- Obesity was found in 2.3% of children, 8.9% were overweight, and 27.3% were at risk of being overweight.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of underweight children shows a slight decrease.
- A notable prevalence of overweight and obesity is evident in the studied preschool population.
- These findings highlight the need for targeted nutritional interventions in Kosovo's preschools.
Background:
There is very limited data on malnutrition of preschool children in Kosovo. The main objective of the study is to provide a nutritional status profile of preschool children attending kindergartens in Kosovo.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study of children aged 12-59 months (n = 352 children) and children aged 60-83 months (n = 134) enrolled in public and private kindergartens of Kosovo. Anthropometric measurements used for this study are weight and height of the preschoolers (12-83 months). A measuring board was used for measuring the length/height of children younger than 2 years, while digital weight and height scale Seca 763 was used for measuring of preschool children taller than 110 and Seca 213 was used for measuring the height for children who were shorter than 110 cm. Statistical analyses of underweight and overweight trends across sex and age groups as well as between children from public and private kindergartens were carried out. Qualitative variables were tested with a chi-square test. The differences between groups were assessed with a Student t test for normally distributed variables and a Mann-Whitney test for abnormally distributed numerical variables.
Results:
The mean z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and BMI-for-age largely fell within 0.0 and 1.0. The percentage of stunted children is 3%, whereas child wasting is 1.9%. The overall percentage of obese children is 2.3%; furthermore, 8.9% are overweight and 27.3% have a possible risk of being overweight.
Conclusions:
The incidence of children underweight is slightly decreasing. The prevalence of overweight and obese children in sample chosen is evident.
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