Socioeconomic disparities in anthropometric status among primary school children: A potential association with school meals.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the growth and nutritional status of children in primary schools across different socioeconomic groups in Wad-Madani City, Central Sudan, and map it to World Health Organization (WHO) standards; and to investigate a potential association between school meal intake and nutritional status.

Methods

This cross-sectional anthropometric study involved a randomly selected sample of 506 children from 10 primary schools in the city. Height and weight were measured following WHO standards and converted into Z-scores for weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), and BMI-for-age (BAZ). We compared the mean Z-scores between children in the private and public school sectors, adjusting for ethnicity and other potential predictors. Statistical analyses included multiva

SUBMITTER: Alhassan MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11964276 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature