Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal
Cross-cutting issues like nutrition have not been adequately addressed for children with severe visual impairment studying in integrated schools of Nepal. To support advocacy, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status of this vulnerable group, using a descriptive cross-sectional design in...
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Nutritional Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679025100256/type/journal_article |
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| author | Bijay Khatri Rajan Shrestha Manita Pyakurel Madan Prasad Upadhyay |
| author_facet | Bijay Khatri Rajan Shrestha Manita Pyakurel Madan Prasad Upadhyay |
| author_sort | Bijay Khatri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cross-cutting issues like nutrition have not been adequately addressed for children with severe visual impairment studying in integrated schools of Nepal. To support advocacy, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status of this vulnerable group, using a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 101 students aged 5–19 years from two integrated public schools near Kathmandu Valley and two in western Nepal. The weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), height-for-age z-score (HAZ), and body mass index-for-age z-score (BAZ) were computed and categorised using World Health Organization cut-off values (overnutrition: z-score > +2.0 standard deviations (SD), healthy weight: z-score −2.0SD to +2.0SD, moderate undernutrition: z-score ≥ −3.0SD to <−2.0SD, severe undernutrition: z-score < −3.0 SD) to assess nutritional status. A child was considered to have undernutrition for any z-scores <−2.0SD. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse variables linked to undernutrition. The mean age of participants was 11.86 ± 3.66 years, and the male-to-female ratio was nearly 2:1. Among the participants, 71.29% had blindness, and 28.71% had low vision. The mean BAZ and HAZ scores decreased with age. The WAZ, HAZ, and BAZ scores indicated that 6.46% were underweight, 20.79% were stunted, and 5.94% were thin, respectively. Overall, 23.76% of students had undernutrition and 7.92% had overnutrition. More than three in ten students had malnutrition and stunting was found to be prevalent. Older students and females were more likely to have undernutrition. These findings highlight the need for nutrition interventions within inclusive education settings, particularly targeting girls with visual impairments who may face compounded vulnerabilities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-84759e33ae0b43018f0ffed9b26c8f33 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2048-6790 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nutritional Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-84759e33ae0b43018f0ffed9b26c8f332025-08-20T02:56:45ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Nutritional Science2048-67902025-01-011410.1017/jns.2025.10025Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of NepalBijay Khatri0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9727-9877Rajan Shrestha1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0703-4655Manita Pyakurel2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9014-1813Madan Prasad Upadhyay3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9154-0413Academic & Research Department, Hospital for Children, Eye, ENT, & Rehabilitation Services, Bhaktapur, NepalDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus C., DenmarkAcademic & Research Department, Hospital for Children, Eye, ENT, & Rehabilitation Services, Bhaktapur, NepalB.P. Eye Foundation, Kathmandu, NepalCross-cutting issues like nutrition have not been adequately addressed for children with severe visual impairment studying in integrated schools of Nepal. To support advocacy, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status of this vulnerable group, using a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 101 students aged 5–19 years from two integrated public schools near Kathmandu Valley and two in western Nepal. The weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), height-for-age z-score (HAZ), and body mass index-for-age z-score (BAZ) were computed and categorised using World Health Organization cut-off values (overnutrition: z-score > +2.0 standard deviations (SD), healthy weight: z-score −2.0SD to +2.0SD, moderate undernutrition: z-score ≥ −3.0SD to <−2.0SD, severe undernutrition: z-score < −3.0 SD) to assess nutritional status. A child was considered to have undernutrition for any z-scores <−2.0SD. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse variables linked to undernutrition. The mean age of participants was 11.86 ± 3.66 years, and the male-to-female ratio was nearly 2:1. Among the participants, 71.29% had blindness, and 28.71% had low vision. The mean BAZ and HAZ scores decreased with age. The WAZ, HAZ, and BAZ scores indicated that 6.46% were underweight, 20.79% were stunted, and 5.94% were thin, respectively. Overall, 23.76% of students had undernutrition and 7.92% had overnutrition. More than three in ten students had malnutrition and stunting was found to be prevalent. Older students and females were more likely to have undernutrition. These findings highlight the need for nutrition interventions within inclusive education settings, particularly targeting girls with visual impairments who may face compounded vulnerabilities.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679025100256/type/journal_articleBlindnessMalnutritionNepalPrevalenceSchool |
| spellingShingle | Bijay Khatri Rajan Shrestha Manita Pyakurel Madan Prasad Upadhyay Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal Journal of Nutritional Science Blindness Malnutrition Nepal Prevalence School |
| title | Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal |
| title_full | Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal |
| title_short | Malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of Nepal |
| title_sort | malnutrition among students with visual impairment studying in integrated public schools of nepal |
| topic | Blindness Malnutrition Nepal Prevalence School |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2048679025100256/type/journal_article |
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