The Childhood Nutrition and Their Problems: The Case Study of an Elementary School in Shkodra City

Abstract

Body weight is a reliable indicator of nutritional status. The deviation of body weight with 20% over or under the ideal level, places a person at nutritional risk. In recognition of the serious health implication of obesity, current definition of “malnutrition” includes states of over nutrition as well as conditions marked by nutritional deficits. Worldwide, the elderly population is increasingly becoming obese regardless of socio-economic status. Obesity increases the risks for a variety of morbidity conditions. The prevalence in children is also rising at a worrisome rate. Childhood obesity is frequently portrayed as a serious and complex modern-day “epidemic”. This has created considerable public health concern due to the association of obesity with the development of several chronic and life threatening physical and psychological health problems. On the other hand the underweight is a big problem in the present day especially in developing countries.The aim of this study is to represent the situation of the childhood nutrition and their problems in an elementary school in Shkodra city. All the children have been part of an anthropometrically measurement (weight, high, waist circumference) and they have fulfilled a short questionnaire of information about their nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle and their parents’ education. The questionnaire is done with the support of school directory and helped by their teachers during school year 2012. In this study are involved 200 children from 6 - 14 year old and the data are calculated with SPSS. 20. Programme.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n8p360