Nutritional Status of Working Children in Kermanshah, 2013

Starting to work from early age can have negative impact on the growth and nutritional status، especially if the children are employed in dangerous jobs. This study aimed to assess nutritional status and growth in working children who were working in Kermanshah. This survey was a case-control study that wasdoneon90 working childrenand90not- working children in Kermanshah. Information related to anthropometric indices with measurements of height and weight، demographic data using demographic questionnaire and food intake using food frequency questionnaire were collected. To compare growth of children with standards we use body mass index percentiles for sex and age provided by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16. Mean of age working children was 16. 4±1. 8 years and 15. 7% of them were illiterate. Consumption of all food groups except the miscellaneous group in working children was significantly lower than not- working children (p<0. 001). The prevalence of stunting in working children was 10% more than the not- working children. The prevalence of malnutrition based on body mass index in working children (36. 1%)، was approximately 50% more than the not- working children (16. 5%)، (P <0. 01). The finding so this study showed that indicators of nutritional status in working children have not favourable condition. This could bea risk factor for health of this group of children and a warning for affecting of them by kind of disease.