Anthropometry analysis of nutritional indicators in Indonesian adolescents

Malnutrition is an emerging health problem that has challenged healthcare authorities worldwide. This study aims to determine anthropometric values and the nutritional status of Indonesian school adolescents.

In total, 510 students (288 girls and 222 boys) studying at Darul Ihsan Islamic Boarding School Banda Aceh participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants were examined for weight, height, and body mass index (BMI). The BMI category was classified using BMI criteria for the Asia-Pacific population. For data analysis, a descriptive analysis, chi-square (p < 0.05), and independent sample t-test (p < 0.05) were employed.

The rate of malnutrition among school adolescents in Banda Aceh was underweight 36.67% (girls = 47.6% and boys = 52.4%) and overweight/obesity 21.96% (girls = 60.66% and boys = 39.33%). There was a significant difference in the number of overweight girls and boys: 127 (60.2%) and 84 (39.8%) p = 0.007, respectively. Obesity I was more common among girls than boys: (31; 66%) versus (16; 34%), p = 0.020. There was a slight difference in the prevalence of being underweight: 89 (47.6%) versus 98 (52.4%), p = 0.520, and no difference in the number of girls and boys with obesity II: 6 (50%) versus 6 (50%), respectively.

This study reports multiple malnutrition problems in adolescent schools in Banda Aceh, namely being underweight, overweight, and obesity. This calls for urgent attention by healthcare authorities to initiate public awareness campaigns to curtail malnutrition.