Nutritional status and dietary intake of urban residents in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

• Published in: BMC public health 2012-09, Vol.12 (1), p.752-752, Article 752
• Main Authors: Amare, Bemnet, Moges, Beyene, Moges, Feleke, Fantahun, Bereket, Admassu, Mengesha, Mulu, Andargachew, Kassu, Afework
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anthropometry; Body mass index; Chronic illnesses; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary intake; Energy Intake; Ethiopia; Expenditures; Family income; Female; Food; Fruit; Health aspects; Health sciences; Health surveys; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical schools; Medicine; Middle Aged; Niacin; Nutrition; Nutritional status; Nutritional Status - physiology; Obesity; Oils & fats; Physiological aspects; Questionnaires; Retinoids; Surveys; Urban Ethiopia; Urban Population; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-752

There is paucity of data on the dietary intake and nutritional status of urban Ethiopians which necessitates comprehensive nutritional assessments. Therefore, the present study was aimed at evaluating the dietary intake and nutritional status of urban residents in Northwest Ethiopia. This cross-sectional community based nutrition survey was conducted by involving 356 participants (71.3% female and 28.7% male with mean age of 37.3 years). Subjects were selected by random sampling. Socio demographic data was collected by questionnaire. Height, weight, hip circumference and waist circumference were measured following standard procedures. Dietary intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and 24-h dietary recall. The recommended dietary allowance was taken as the cut-off point for the assessment of the adequacy of individual nutrient intake. Undernourished, overweight and obese subjects composed 12.9%, 21.3% and 5.9% of the participants, respectively. Men were taller, heavier and had higher waist to hip ratio compared to women (P