School-age children in developing countries are particularly vulnerable to undernutrition
as the priority of nutritional interventions focus on fetal development and the first years
of life. This study examines anthropometric indices of school-age children in five
communities located in rural Kwahu-Eastern Region, Ghana, West Africa and discusses
environmental influences that contribute to their nutritional and growth status.
Anthropometric indices of heights and weights were obtained from 411 school- aged
children, (5-12 years old) in 5 villages (Asakraka, Awiseasu, Miaso, Oframase and
Oworobong) during June 2012. Anthropometric parameters and influences that
contributed to nutritional status (environmental, health facilities, availability of markets
and gender) were assessed. Factorial ANOVAs were conducted with age, gender and
village as factors for the z-score for ‘BMI-for-age’ and the z-score for ‘height-for-age’.
The z-score of ‘BMI-for-age’ showed a significant two-way interaction effect between
‘Age’ and ‘Village’, F (4, 391) = 6.06, p-value < 0.001, η2 = 0.06. The mean z-score for
‘BMI- for-age’ was significantly lower for older children in Oframase. The z-score of
‘Height-for-age’ showed a small but significant three-way interaction effect among
‘Age’, ‘Gender’, and ‘Village’, F (4, 391) = 3.79, p-value = 0.005, η2 = 0.04. The mean
z-score for ‘Height-for-age’ was significantly lower in older children (ages 10-12 years)
in all villages except Asakraka. Lower mean z-score for ‘Height-for-age’ in older
children (ages 10-12 years) remains to be significant in boys in villages of Awiseasu and
Oworobong and in girls in villages of Awiseasu, Miaso and Oframase. Children in
isolated communities are at increased risk for lower z-scores in ‘Height-for-age’ and
‘BMI-for-age’. Communities with a clinic, paved road and established infrastructure
did not demonstrate evidence of chronic malnutrition. Acute malnutrition in the form of
lower z-scores was demonstrated in older children in Oframase. Gender disparities are
present and increased awareness of the nutritional status of girls needs to be addressed.