Faride Doostan - Assistant Professor, Endocrinology Research Center & School of health and Nutritional Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Mina Tabatabaei - Master of Nutritional Sciences, Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran
Saba Loloei - Ph.D. Student, Food and Nutrition Policies, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Infants and young children are the most vulnerable group to malnutrition. Malnutrition can cause child growth disorders. Child growth measurement is a basic instrument to measure the child malnutrition. This study was conducted to determine the malnutrition prevalence in children ۲-۶ years of age in Kerman rural kindergartens. Methods: The current study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on ۱۱۵۴ of children under ۶ year old. Weight and height was measured using standard instrument and method. Data entry was performed by SPSS ۱۸. It is advised to assess child growth in developing countries by using WHO Anthro software. So, weight, height and BMI for age indicators was calculated by WHO Anthro software based on Z-score. To data analysis t-test and x۲ test were applied. Results: ۱۱۵۴ children. (۵۹۷ boys and ۵۵۷ girls, mean age of ۵۸.۴±۱۰ months) were evaluated. Sever, medium and mild stunting (defined as height for age below the -۱Z-score) prevalence was observed in ۱.۶%, ۵.۵% and ۱۹.۱% of children respectively. Sever, medium and mild underweight (defined as weight for age below the -۱Z-score) prevalence was observed in ۰.۷%, ۶.۷% and ۲۶% respectively. Sever, medium and mild wasting (defined as BMI for age below the -۱Z-score) prevalence was observed in ۱.۳%, ۹.۵% and ۲۵.۶% respectively. Overweight (defined as BMI for age above the +۲Z-score) and obesity (defined as BMI for age above the +۳Z-score) was observed in ۴.۵% and ۲.۴% respectively. No significant difference of malnutrition prevalence was observed between boys and girls (p >۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The study results show that underweight and wasting prevalence in studied children based on WHO criteria is high. So emphasis on more efforts to reduce malnutrition in rural children of Kerman. It should be considered as a health priority in this community.

Malnutrition, Stunting, Underweight, Wasting, Overweight, Obesity, growth, Children at ۲-۶ years old