Evaluation of the nutritinal status of the primary-school childern based on weight and hight in Kerman,Iran

the aim of this study was to find out the nutritional status of primary-school childern.for this purpose the weight and height of 599 boys and 750 girls in age group of 6-11 year olds were measured.their nutritional status were evaiuated according to the weight-for-age(Gomez),weight-for-hight(Waterlow) and weight/height-for age(McLaren-Read) methods.the Gomez method showed that 59.4% of the boys and 60.3% of the girls are undernourished.According to the waterlow method 35% of the boys and 28.8% of the girls are malnurished and the McLaren-Read method showed that 40.7% of the boys and 52.9% of the girls are suffering from various degrees of malnutrition.there was no significant difference between acute malunutrition(weight for age) and present malunutrition (weight for height) in the boys and the dirls,but chronic malunutrition (height for age) had a significant difference in the two genders.this study showed that the present and past nutritional status of more than half of the children is not desirable and about one third of them are suffering from chronic malunutrition.therefore,in order to decrease the rate of undernutrition,which may have unfavorable effects on mental and physical statue of children,beside improvement of economic conditions of the families the ministry of health,treatment and medical education should also take specific measures