Nutritional status of Tujia and Miao minority pupils in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture

Objective To examine nutritional status of Tujia and Miao minority pupils in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and to provide a basis for the improvement of minority students' nutritional status.Methods With stratified cluster random sampling, totally 2 876 Tujia and Miao minority pupils were selected from eight primary schools in Luxi, Guzhang, Baojing, and Yongshun county of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture and height and weight of the pupils were measured and evaluated with the method of height for weight.Results The malnutrition rate in the Tujia and Miao minority pupils was 6.68% and 7.13%;the underweight rate was 24.57% and 24.90%;the overweight rate was 8.21% and 6.59%;and the obesity rate was 7.77% and 7.66%.The malnutrition rate of girls(7.92%) was higher than that of boys(5.90%)(χ²=4.55, P<0.05);the obesity rate of boys(8.89%)was higher than that of girls(6.49%)(χ²=5.79, P<0.05) and the rate of urban students(9.08%)was averagely higher than rural students(5.43%)(χ²=12.56, P<0.01).There were significant differences in obesity rate among Tujia pupils of different gender and residing area and among Miao pupils with different residing area and the overweight rate was significant different between urban and rural pupils(all P<0.05).Conclusion Malnutrition and overnutrition existed at the same time among Tujia and Miao minority pupils and measures should be taken in different groups according to their different nutritional status.