ASSESSMENT OF THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS IN A TERTIARY HEALTH FACILITY IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

Background: Adolescence is a peculiar period of physical, sexual, psychosocial and cognitive development geared towards achieving their adult potentials. Adolescents are prone to malnutrition from unfavourable sociodemographic variables and sub-optimal nutrition.
Objectives: The study aimed to assess the nutritional status and the sociodemographic variables associated with malnutrition among adolescents in a tertiary health facility in Rivers State, Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 10-17-year-old adolescents in the Paediatric Out-patient Clinic, River State University Teaching Hospital. A proforma was used to collect sociodemographic data from them before taking their anthropometric measurements. BMI- for-age Z scores were calculated using the WHO anthropometric calculator and nutritional status determined using the WHO classification. Univariate and multivariate data analysis was done using SPPS version 23. Statistical significance was set at P value < 0.05.
Results: A total of 131 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, with 72(55%) females participated in the study. Majority were urban dwellers, 61.1% attended private educational institutions, 46% were from middle socioeconomic class and 40(30.5%) from families with >4 children. The median weight and height of the study population were 47kg and 157cm respectively. The mean BMI-for-age Z score was -0.126±0.318. Twenty-six (19.9%) adolescents were overweight/obese while 9(6.9%) were too thin (wasting). Adolescents aged 10-13 years were significantly more overweight/obese than others while wasting was more prevalent among adolescents dwelling in rural communities, in primary schools and living in households with >4 children (p < 0.05). There was a 29-fold increased risk of wasting among children living in households with >4 children (P=0.002).
Conclusion: The study highlights two extremes of malnutrition among adolescents with overnutrition more than two times that of undernutrition. Adolescents living in large households are at risk of undernutrition.
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