Health Status and Nutritional Habits in Maldives Pediatric Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Emanuela Cazzaniga, Antonina Orlando, Annalisa Terenzio, Carlotta Suardi, Chiara Mognetti, Francesca Gennaro, Laura Antolini and Paola Palestini ()
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Emanuela Cazzaniga: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Antonina Orlando: Cardiologic Unit, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20100 Milan, Italy
Annalisa Terenzio: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Carlotta Suardi: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Chiara Mognetti: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Francesca Gennaro: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Laura Antolini: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy
Paola Palestini: School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Maldives, triggered by the nutrition transition to a “Western diet” that dramatically increases the prevalence of excess weight and hypertension. Our study aimed to evaluate dietary habits, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index in Maghoodoo Public School’s students. A sample of 145 students (72 males and 73 females, age 9.37 ± 2.97 years) was enrolled. Factors causing excess weight were investigated through descriptive statistics. The relationship between blood pressure percentiles and possible influencing factors was investigated by a linear regression model.. Excess weight was present in 15.07% and 12.5% females and males, respectively. 15.18% of the subjects had elevated BP, with a significant difference according to gender detected only in the PAS z -score. Eating habits were investigated through a parent-filled questionnaire; 70.15% of the students consumed less than two portions of fruit per day, with a significant difference between gender (84.06% and 55.38% for boys and girls, respectively, p < 0.0001) and 71.64% ate less than two servings of vegetables per day. An alarming finding emerged for sweet snacks (30.6% of the students consumed 2–3 servings per day) and sugary drinks (2–3 servings per day for 32.84% of students) consumption. Our findings suggest that excess weight and hypertension in this population could be due to energy-rich, packaged-foods consumption. A nutrition education approach might thus help to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Keywords: excess weight; food habits; hypertension; children; health status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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