Nutritional and lung function profile of boys belonging to east Delhi

Abstract

Nutritional and pulmonary profile of 50 boys (age group 12-15 years) belonging to slums of East Delhi were studied. Various anthropometric parameters (height, weight, total body fat) and pulmonary parameters (FVC, FEV1 and PEFR) were recorded and compared with control group of same age studying in public school of East Delhi. Regression analysis was carried out to see the correlation between body surface area (BSA) with lung functions. The lung functions were found to be compromised in boys inhabitating the slums and a positive correlation between BSA and lung functions indicates that multitude of factors like environmental pollution, nutritional status, etc, do contribute towards pulmonary morbidity.

PIP: The nutritional status and lung function of 50 boys 12-15 years of age living in impoverished resettlement colonies in East Delhi, India, were investigated to assess the impact of slum life on child health. A series of anthropometric indicators (height, weight, total body fat, and skinfold thickness) and pulmonary parameters (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in the first second, and peak expiratory flow rate) were measured. Compared with a control group of middle-income boys from a public school in New Delhi, slum children had anthropometric measurements suggestive of malnutrition and decrements ranging from 12.4% to 30.5% in lung function values. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between lung functions and body surface area. It is presumed that factors associated with slum life--particularly environmental pollution, passive smoking, use of kerosene oil for cooking, household overcrowding, and poor nutrition--contribute to pulmonary morbidity.