Nutritional status of primary and middle school students in Zongyang county, Anhui province, 2007

ObjectiveTo assess the nutritional status and obesity levels of primary and secondary students in Zongyang county of Anhui province. MethodsIn 2007, a cross-sectional survey (physical examination) was performed for the primary and middle school students in the county town and a township in Zongyang county, Anhui province, and the results were analyzed. ResultsAmong 19 523 primary and middle school students, the malnutrition rates for boys and girls were 27.38% and 25.70% (I/Isup2/sup = 7.03, IP/I＜0.01), respectively, the obesity rates were 2.46% and 1.95% (I/Isup2/sup = 5.84, IP/I＜ 0.05), respectively. The malnutrition rate of the students from the county town was 23.00%, which was lower than that (29.11%) of the students from the township (I/Isup2/sup = 90.52, IP/I＜0.01), but the obesity rate was higher (I/Isup2/sup = 61.06, IP/I＜0.01). ConclusionThe malnutrition rate and obesity rate of primary students were higher than those of middle school students.