Effect of family size and income on the biochemical indices of urban school children of Bangladesh
Ahmed, F.; Mohiduzzaman, M.; Barua, S.; Shaheen, N.; Margetts, B.M.; Jackson, A.A.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46(7): 465-473
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-3007 PMID: 1623851 Document Number: 321844
The relationship between family size and income and the biochemical indices of 242 children (aged from 5 to 12 years) from five schools in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, was investigated. Socio-economic data were collected by questionnaire and blood samples were drawn by visiting each school on a prefixed date. Mean levels of all measures, except for serum zinc, fell within the normal range. Older boys, but not girls (10-12 years of age) had statistically significantly higher haemoglobin, serum protein and serum vitamin A levels compared with those of the younger boys (5-9 years of age). The children were divided into three family size groups (small, up to 4 members; medium, 5-7 members; and large, 8 or more) to investigate the effect of family size on the biochemical data. The children from smaller families showed significantly higher levels of haemoglobin and serum vitamin A compared with the children from large families. For serum protein, copper and zinc, there was no statistically significant difference between the children of different family size groups. To analyse the effect of family income, children were divided into three income groups (low, up to taka 2000; medium, taka 2001-4500; and high, 4501 or more). The children from the low family income group had significantly lower serum protein (7.5 g/100 ml) and haemoglobin (13.4 g/100 ml) levels compared with those of the children from the high family income group (for protein, 7.7 g/100 ml and haemoglobin, 14.1 g/100 ml). The children from the higher family income group showed statistically significantly higher serum vitamin A (46.2 microgram/100 ml) levels and lower serum copper (108.0 microgram/100 ml) levels compared with those of the children from medium (for vitamin A, 38.1 microgram/100 ml and for copper, 140.2 microgram/100 ml) and low family income groups (for vitamin A, 34.9 microgram/100 ml and for copper, 145.0 microgram/ml). These differences in biochemical indices persisted after statistical adjustment for the effects of age, sex, father's occupation and family size. These findings suggest that family size and family income play important roles in determining the biochemical indices of urban school children in Bangladesh.