Comparison of Growth Indices After Food Intervention Program for Children Aged 2-5 Years in Day Care Centers in Northern (Rasht) and Southern (Bushehr) of Iran

Abstract

Background: The adequate growth of children is an important phenomenon, having a great impact on the growth and psychological health of children in the future. Nutritional intervention to have a better dietary intake could be affected by geographical and cultural issues. This study aimed to compare the impact of food intervention between the children of two different provinces of Northern and southern area of Iran. Methods: In an interventional study, anthropometric indices of 520 children (205 Bushehr, 315 Rasht) were measured using World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro and Anthro plus software, based on the WHO standards. Results: In Bushehr, a total of 205 children under the age of 5 years were assessed. Before the intervention, about 11% of them were moderately to severely malnourished, based on weight for height, which decreased to about 6% after the intervention. In Rasht, a total of 315 children under the age of 5 were assessed before the intervention; nearly 6% of them were moderately to severely underweight, based on weight for height, which decreased to about 4% after the intervention. Also, there was no significant difference between boys and girls in this index. Conclusion: Due to the relative achievement of the present intervention plan, nutritional education along with these kinds of projects might be useful for Iranian health policy-makers to promote children’s growth.

Keywords

• anthropometry
• child malnutrition
• obesity
• underweight
• preschool children