The Relationship between Nutritional Status and Anthropometric Indices among 2-5 Year Old Children in Tehran

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition in children including lower nutrient intakes or high density food intakes is of recent world concerns; therefore, determining a simple index that reveals the diet adequacy might be an advantage. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done among 233 children aged 2-5 years old. A  24-hour dietary questionnaire was used to calculate mean adequacy ratio (MAR), naturally nutrient rich (NNR) and energy density (ED) via related formula. Results: A significant negative trend was observed for the relationship between the MAR and the Z-score of height for age. Significant positive relations were observed between the Z-score of body mass index (BMI) for age and the Z-score of weight for height as well as the Z-score of weight for age and the Z-score of height for age. In contrast, a significant negative correlation was between the energy density and MAR (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: According to the Z-score based on the NNR, MAR and ED, these three indices might be widely used to determine the adequacy of food intakes especially among children.