HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Research Journal of Medical Sciences

Nutritional Assessment of School-Age Children Attending Conventional Primary and Integrated Qur’anic Schools in Kaduna
Aliyu Hassan, O.O. Onabanjo and C.R.B. Oguntona

Abstract: Under nutrition among school-age children have serious consequence on individual and national growth and development. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status of 394 school-age children (7-11 years) attending Conventional Primary Schools (CPS) and Integrated Qur’anic Schools (IQS) in Kaduna. A pretested questionnaire was used to generate information on their socio-economic, food intake pattern and anthropometric status. The mean energy (1861±547.53 23 kcal), protein (32.16±8.93 g), Vitamin A (795.48±183.48 RE), iron (11.61±4.02 mg), iodine (122.65±130.35 mg), calcium (625.38±212.57 g) and Vitamin C (28.09±29.12 mg) intakes were lower for those in CPS compared to their counterparts in IQS facilities. Results showed that about 41.2% of the children were stunted been slightly higher in children attending IQS (9%) than those in CPS but the difference was no significant (p>0.05). Underweight was also generally high (48.7%). There were more (24.6%) cases of overweight among CPS than IQS (22.0%) children and only 1% level of obesity was recorded. Malaria and helminthes infection was not significantly different (p>0.05) among subjects attending CPS and IQS. Correlation between malnutrition and type of school, level of energy intake rate and mother’s educational level showed no relationship (p = 0.05). Data on the prevalence and degree of malnutrition among school-age children attending both CPS and IQS sectors of education in Nigeria is limited.

How to cite this article
Aliyu Hassan, O.O. Onabanjo and C.R.B. Oguntona, 2012. Nutritional Assessment of School-Age Children Attending Conventional Primary and Integrated Qur’anic Schools in Kaduna. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 6: 187-192.

© Medwell Journals. All Rights Reserved