Malnutrition situation among junior school pupils of Xo Dang ethnic in ethnic minority semi-boarding schools in Kon Tum province, 2018

Abstract

Nutrition situation of adolescents and ethnic minorities is an issue that needs to be addressed. In 2018, a cross-sectional study, conducted on 2,138 junior school pupils of Xo Dang ethnic minority of 19 ethnic minorities semi-boarding schools in 5 districts, Kon Tum province, to describe the malnutrition situation, especially stunting. The results showed that, the overall stunting rate was 56.3%, of which stunting prevalence of male and female pupils were 61.8% and 51.7% respectively; severe and mild stunting prevalence were 16.7% and 39.5% respectively. These were at a high level of public health problems. The highest rate of stunting was in Tu Mo Rong district (61.6%), followed by Kon Plong district (59.4%). There were signifcant differences in the rate and lever of stunting between districts and by gender (p < 0.001). The rates of wasting, overweight and obesity were 5.8% and 1.9%, respectively; Therefore, timely interventions to improve the stunting status of junior school pupils in semi-boarding ethnic minority schools in Kon Tum province in particular and the Central Highlands in general are needed.