Open AccessGrowth of preschool children in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: regional and sociodemographic differences
Author(s) -
J Hameida,
Laurent Billot,
Déschamps Jp
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2002.8.4-5.458
Subject(s) - wasting , anthropometry , socioeconomic status , demography , medicine , cross sectional study , weight for age , rural area , pediatrics , environmental health , population , pathology , sociology , endocrinology
This cross-sectional study was performed in two regions of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The aim was to study the growth and nutritional status of children under 5 years of age and the effect of socioeconomic factors on child development. Anthropometric indices [weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height] differed in the two regions. The prevalence of stunting was significantly higher among children from mainly rural Al Jabel Al Garby [6.1%] than those from urban Tripoli [2.5%]. The z-scores that correlated strongly with under-nutrition included: mother’s education, child’s age and sex, and region. Stunting was significantly related to age and region and to maternal education level and family size. Wasting was highly correlated with maternal education.