ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Abstract

Nutrition in adolescence is imperative in life cycle of women to build up a healthy next generation. This study was conducted in some selected areas of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar districts and, three Rohingya camps of Cox’s bazaar in Bangladesh to know the prevalence of underweight and overweight in adolescent girls and associated risk factors. A cross-sectional investigation was carried out among 360 respondents utilizing a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to accumulate the data. Height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were recorded for all participants. The prevalence of underweight and overweight were 26.1% and 7.2%, respectively. Area, age, skipping meal, knowledge on nutrition and premenstrual syndrome were associated with nutritional status. Proper campaign on nutritional knowledge and food intake can minimize the magnitude of malnutrition in adolescent girls.