Nutritional status among the children of age group 5-14 years in selected arsenic exposed and non- exposed areas in Bangladesh

A cross sectional study was conducted on 600 children of arsenic exposed (mean concentration of arsenic 203µg/l of tube well water) and non-exposed (28 µg arsenic/l of tube well water) areas in Bangladesh to find out any difference in the nutritional status. Nutritional status of children was assessed by z-scores of weight for age, height for age and weight for height and also using 5^th and 85^th percentiles of the body mass index (BMI) for age. Dietary history of children showed almost similar intake of carbohydrate, energy, protein and fat in both groups. BMI of the children was found to be strongly associated with the arsenic level of the tube well water used by the families (χ² =10.228, p 0.01). Thinness (low BMI for age) was found more among the children of exposed area (49.0%) than that of non-exposed one (37.7%). Comparatively children with normal BMI was found to be more in non-exposed area than in exposed area and the difference was found to be significant (χ²=9.759, p <0.01). Similarly, weight for age z-score measurements showed that the children in the exposed area were more underweight than those of the non-exposed area (χ²=7.891, p<.0.05). Height for age z-score measurements showed that the children in the exposed area were more stunted than those of non-exposed area (χ² = 6.676, p <0.05). Weight for height z–score measurements showed that the children in the exposed area were more under weight than those of non-exposed area (χ²=6.388, p <0.05). The study suggests that arsenic exposure through contaminated drinking water had negative impact on the nutritional status of children.