Relationship between Anthropometric and Serum Parameters of Adolescent School Children Aged 10 – 19 Years in Upland and Riverine Public Secondary Schools in Rivers State

The study assessed the relationship between anthropometric and serum parameters of adolescent school children aged 10 – 19 years in upland and riverine public secondary schools in Rivers state. Four hundred and eighteen (418) adolescents were randomly selected from 4 secondary schools, two each from the upland and riverine areas for the study. Standard procedures were used to obtain data for all parameters. Serum from forty subjects was used for biochemical analysis. Data collected was analysed using statistical product and service solution (SPSS) for windows version 25. Data obtained was presented as frequencies, percentages, Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationship between variables and significance accepted at p ≤ 0.05. Significant correlation exist between BMI and haemoglobin in the upland (r = 0.364) and in the riverine area (r = 0.819) at p<0.05.While a positive correlation was observed between WHR and serum zinc in the Riverine (r = 0.731) at p<0.05, and a negative correlation exists between WHR and serum calcium in the Upland (r = -0.421) area at p<0.05. MUAC showed a positive correlation with Haemoglobin in the Upland (r = 0.452) at p<0.05. Triceps (r = -0.818) and sub-scapula (r = -0.747) skinfolds both showed negative correlations with serum zinc in the Riverine area at p<0.01 and p<0.05 respectively. Nutrition education and counseling are essential in secondary schools to reduce malnutrition among adolescent school children.