Nutritional status of children hospitalized in Tabriz Paediatric Hospital, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2008 [?tat nutritionnel des enfants hospitalisé s l'h´pital pé diatrique de Tabriz (Ré publique islamique d'Iran) en 2008]

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of children consecutively admitted as inpatients to Tabriz Paediatric Hospital in the north-west of the Islamic Republic of Iran between June and August 2008. A total of 140 children aged 2-12 years were included. Patients' weight, height and triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) were measured, and nutritional status was evaluated. Evaluation of weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-forheight and TSFT showed that 48.6%, 30.7%, 32.2% and 14.3% of the patients, respectively, were malnourished. Malnutrition among hospitalized children is worthy of attention, and effective strategies for systematic screening and treatment of malnutrition need to be developed and implemented.