Nutritional assessment of Virgin Islands school children

A group of 427 students on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands was studied to obtain baseline data on some anthropometric measures, biochemical values, food habits, and educational parameters. Body weight was similar for four-to-seven-year-old students. Nine per cent of the sample appeared to be excessively stout. The mean hemoglobin and hematocrit levels exceeded "acceptable" ranges of the Ten-State Nutrition Survey. Differences were noted in the food habits of students in public vs. parochial schools and by birth place. The reasons for the differences were not determined. When comparisons were made with a previous survey of V.I. adolescents, mean intakes of the vegetable-fruit and meat groups were higher. A trend existed between poor academic achievement and low food score. The extent of the contribution of the various factors on the assessed status needs to be appraised.