Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3208 (Paper) ISSN 2225-093X (Online) Vol.3, No.7, 2013 156 Nutritional Status of Boarding and Non-Boarding Children in Selected Schools in the Accra Metropolis Freda Dzifa Intiful 1* Lily Ogyiri 2 Matilda Asante 1 Anna Amoako Mensah 1 Rebecca Kissiwa Steele-Dadzie 1 Laurene Boateng 1 1. School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Department of Dietetics P.O box KB 143, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana 2. Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana *E-mail of corresponding author: fdintiful@chs.edu.gh Abstract Malnutrition is highly prevalent in developing countries. Children are at high nutritional risk of being malnourished because of their physiological demands at this age. However, the nutritional status of school age children is poorly documented in Ghana. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the nutritional status of boarding and non-boarding pupils aged 8 to 10 years in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 children in three private schools which have boarding facilities (optional) in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana. Dietary intakes of children between the ages of 8 and 10 years were assessed using a two-day 24 hour recall. Weight and height measurements were taken. WHO Anthroplus software was used to determine WAZ, HAZ and BAZ. Ghanaian food composition tables were used to calculate the nutritional components of foods eaten by subjects. T-tests were used to analyse differences between variables. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, overweight and obesity among the children were 0.8%, 0.8%, 12.1% and 11.3% respectively. The total energy and nutrient intake of calcium among children (both boarders and non- boarders) was inadequate. There was no significant difference in the nutritional status and mean nutrient intake between boarding and non-boarding children. Nutritional status between boarders and non boarders were found to be similar. Key words: School children, boarders, non-boarders, Ghanaian, nutritional status 1.0 Introduction Malnutrition is a condition that has adverse impact on children. Its negative impact on child’s physical and cognitive development cannot be overemphasized. Malnutrition could either be due to under nutrition or over nutrition. It is also the most important cause of illness and death worldwide among children (Muller and Krawinkel, 2005). Under nutrition particularly contributes substantially to all child deaths (Black, et al., 2003). Micronutrient deficiencies especially of iron and iodine account for adverse educational and cognitive effects as well as high rates of illness which may persist into adulthood (Scrimshaw, 1998). Children in low and middle income countries have been known to be at increased risk of under nutrition due to poverty and lack of food. However, recent research has now revealed that these children are also at risk of becoming overweight or obese due to the rise of low-cost, high calorie and energy dense foods that have poor nutritional profiles, coupled with decreased physical activity (WHO, 2011). The co-existence of these two nutritional problems in these countries creates a double-burden of nutrition-related ill health among children (WHO, 2011). Stunting, underweight, iron deficiency anaemia, iodine and vitamin A deficiency constitute the main nutritional challenges faced by children of school-going age (Drake et al., 2002, Jukes et al., 2004). These deficiencies in the school-age child may result in reduced cognitive development and learning ability with their nutritional status worsening during their school years (Jukes et al., 2002; Drake et al., 2002; Hall et al., 2000). A large number of nutrition research and intervention strategies involving developing countries have focused on poverty and under nutrition. Studies now indicate a shift toward overweight and obesity in developing countries. However few policies have focused on improving the trend among older children and adolescents worldwide. For children living in developing countries, overweight and obesity add to the nutritional problems they face (Drake et al., 2002). Current research to investigate trends of the nutrition situation of school age children is therefore necessary to inform and drive efficient policies that would migrate the effect of malnutrition in Ghana. Children in boarding schools may be at higher risk of developing nutrient deficiencies compared to those in non- boarding school, probably due to financial constraints in running boarding facilities. A study carried out in a boarding school in Nigeria to assess the nutritional status of forty students between the ages of 10 to 19 years showed that students in that boarding school were generally malnourished with inadequate energy intake especially among students of younger ages (Akinyemi and Ibraheem, 2009). On the other hand, Owusu et al., (2007) in measuring the nutritional intake of adolescents in Ghana discovered that adolescents in senior high schools in Greater Accra Region and Eastern Region made bad food choices but were fed with nutritionally