Impaired growth and nutritional status of schoolchildren in rural Croatia
Buzina, R.; Jusić, M.; Sapunar, J.; Milanovic, N.; Zimolo, A.; Rajcic, V.
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift für Vitamin- und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International de Vitaminologie et de Nutrition 42(2): 169-183
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-9831 PMID: 5053843 Document Number: 50200
Anthropometric measurements of about 160 children aged 8 to 14 years from 4 villages of rural Croatia were interpreted according to the standards of Jelliffe (Abst. 7742, Vol. 37). On the basis of relative bodyweight, 15% of the children were underweight. There was a low but significant correlation between mid-arm muscle circumference and the albumin:globulin ratio in boys ( tau = 0.154, p < 0.05). Arm circumference gave the best correlation with relative bodyweight (percentage of the standard bodyweight for height and age), tau = 0.372, p < 0.001. Besides dental caries the most common signs of malnutrition were angular lesions and bleeding gums. The results of biochemical examinations indicated also a higher incidence of low ascorbic acid, riboflavin, protein and Fe status. Some had Fe depletion without anaemia. There was no correlation between incidence of angular stomatitis and either riboflavin excretion in urine or glutathione reductase reactivation. There was a significant correlation between incidence of bleeding gums and plasma ascorbic acid. In about 75% of the children, bleeding gums indicated low plasmic ascorbic acid, i.e., below 0.20 mg/100 ml. Only 54% of the low plasma ascorbic acid values could be diagnosed by presence of bleeding gums. The relation between some biochemical values and their use in the estimation of nutritional status is discussed.