Anthropometric Indices and Nutritional Status of Infants in Nigeria – A Preliminary Study

Paediatric anthropometric database is important for child product design and their public health plans. This is unavailable in Nigeria and most developing nations. This study aims to provide a preliminary anthropometric database of infants in our environment and determine how they relate with their nutritional status. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 108 infants recruited from a health centre in Enugu East LGA. Anthropometric variables (body weight; head, abdominal, chest, wrist, forearm, mid arm and mid-thigh circumferences; shoulder breadth; crown-to-rump, crown-to-sole, rump-to-sole, shoulder-to-elbow lengths etc.) were assessed using standard procedures. Nutritional status was assessed using the Weech formula and the Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) index. Data obtained were analyzed descriptively, while chi-square test was used to determine the association between variables at α = 0.05. A total of 53 females and 55 males participated in this study. Their mean age, birth weight, and total body weight were 10.64 ± 5.46 weeks, 3.30 ± 0.59 kg, and 5.61 ± 1.00 kg respectively. Their mean head, abdominal, mid-arm, and mid-thigh circumferences were 40.01 ± 1.92 cm, 42.21 ± 3.22 cm, 13.01 ± 1.22 cm, and 19.50 ± 2.47 cm respectively. The (75th, 95th) percentile of their chest circumference, mid arm circumference, shoulder breath and total body weight were (42.00 cm, 44.50 cm), (13.88 cm, 15.11 cm), (17.38 cm, 19.00 cm) and (6.30 cm, 7.56 cm) respectively. There was significant association between nutritional status [(Weech), (MUAC)] and each of chest circumference [(x2 = 52.42, p < 0.0001), (x2 = 95.88, p = 0.010)], abdominal circumference [(x2 = 68.25, p < 0.0001), (x2 = 115.58, p = 0.010)], foerarm circumference [(x2 = 45.19, p < 0.0001), (x2 = 151.90, p < 0.0001)], and wrist circumference[(x2 = 46.94, p < 0.0001), (x2 = 146.19, p < 0.0001)]. The protocol is pragmatic and some selected anthropometric variables of infants can relied upon to determine their nutritional status.