Thinness in Children and Adolescents in Seychelles
Author Information
Author(s): Bovet Pascal, Kizirian Nathalie, Madeleine George, Blössner Monika, Chiolero Arnaud
Primary Institution: Section of Noncommunicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Victoria, Republic of Seychelles
Hypothesis
The study aims to compare the prevalence of thinness using two international growth references among children and adolescents in the Seychelles.
Conclusion
The prevalence of the first category of thinness was larger with the WHO cut-offs than with the IS cut-offs.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of thinness was 21.4% based on IS cut-offs and 27.7% based on WHO cut-offs.
- Thinness categories tended to decrease according to age for both sexes for the IS reference.
- The study used a large nationally representative sample of children and adolescents.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many kids in Seychelles are too thin, using two different ways to measure it. They found that more kids were considered too thin when using one method compared to the other.
Methodology
Weight and height were measured annually in children aged 5 to 16 years as part of a school-based surveillance program.
Limitations
Weight and height were measured within a routine surveillance program, which may incur random measurement error.
Participant Demographics
The majority of the population is of African descent with minorities of European, Indian, and Chinese origins.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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