Keywords
Sudanese respondents; Malnutrition; Overweight; Stunting; Saudi Arabia; Nutritional awareness
Abstract
Introduction: The health behaviors of children and young people have been of interest to many researchers, especially in recent years. A proper lifestyle, which includes proper eating habits, is considered the basis for the health status of adolescents and adults should be monitored to ensure children’s correct physical and psychological development
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the nutritional status of randomly selected respondents (boys and girls) living in areas around Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A simple random sample of 400 respondents with age between 6 and 19 years (200 boys and 200 girls) were selected randomly from sampling frame using random numbers table. Two types of data were collected; socioeconomic and anthropometric data. Data about the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents' families was collected through personal interview using a questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of the respondents were taken. Food frequency and 24-hour recall method was used to evaluate their daily food intake.
Results: The respondents’ average daily intake of dietary fiber and copper was significantly (P≤0.01) lowers than that of the DRI. For boys the average daily intake of vitamin D and E and calcium was significantly (P≤0.01) lower than that of the DRI and only folate for girls. Their intake of other nutrients was significantly higher than that of the DRI (unbalanced meals). 41.5% of boys and 46% of girls were underweight and 6.5% of boys and 4.5% of girls were suffered from severe malnutrition. Apart from the family monthly income, age, father’s education and mother’s work none of the hypothesized predictors of the respondents' nutritional status were found to be significantly correlated with the respondents' nutritional status indicators. However, mother work negatively correlated with the girls’ nutritional status.
Conclusion: The study revealed that more than 40% of the respondents were overweight due to the fact that both respondents average daily intake of carbohydrates, protein and saturated and unsaturated fat was significantly higher than that of the DRI, while the amount of some vitamins and minerals was significantly lower than that of the DRI. None of the hypothesized predictors of the respondents' nutritional status were found to be significantly and negatively correlated with the students' nutritional status indicators except mother work.
Citation
Ali ZA, Sabahelkhier MK and Babiker EE. Evaluation of the Nutritional Status of Sudanese Respondents in Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. SM J Food Nutri Disord. 2017; 3(2): 1020.