Weight Status and Dietary Intake among Female Children and Adolescents Aged 6-17 Years in a Welfare Home, Kuala Lumpur

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 13 female children and 40 adolescents residing in a welfare home. The objectives of this study were to determine underweight, overweight rates and body fat percentages as well as assess the dietary intake of energy, selected macro- and micro-nutrients among the subjects aged 6-17 years. The anthropometric measurements collected were Body Mass Index (BMI) and skinfold thickness of five body sites - triceps, subscapular, abdomen, suprailiac, and thigh. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. This study indicated that the majority (75%) of the subjects were of normal weight, 21% were underweight and 4% were overweight. BMI and body fat percentages of the adolescents were found to be significantly higher than those of the children (t=-3.083, p=0.003; t=-7.321, p<0.001). A positive correlation between BMI and body fat percentage was also significant (r=0.791, p<0.001). In terms of dietary assessment, there were significant differences in percentage of RNI attainment between children and adolescents for energy, protein, iron, and folate (p<0.05). In conclusion, the majority of the children and adolescents had normal weight and average body fat percentages. Besides, all the children met the RNI requirements for all the studied nutrients while the adolescents met the RNI requirements for energy, protein, iron, and zinc with dietary calcium and folate slightly below the RNI requirements.