Factors associated with the nutritional status of adolescent girls based on body mass index in Sari, Iran

The third and the last stage in human growth and development is adolescence. Adequate nutrition of adolescent girls, these future mothers, is very important. The purpose of this survey was to determine association of such variables as age, age of menarche, nutritional awareness, physical activity, and family size, with the body mass index [BMI] in 14-18 year-old adolescent high school girls' in Sari, north of Iran. The sample size was 240. Weight and height were measured, and BMI was calculated and compared with the 2000 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] standards. Nutritional status was determined based on BMI, the categories being underweight, normal, at-risk-of-overweight, and overweight. Information on the nutritional knowledge, physical activity, age, family size, and age of menarche were obtained using questionnaires. ANOVA and Post Hoc were used to determine differences between the variables. The nutritional status of adolescent girls had no significant association with the age of menarche, nutritional knowledge, or physical activity. However, significant relationships with family size and girls' age were found. The results of this survey showed that in Iran, a developing country, family size has a considerable effect on the nutritional status of adolescent girls; furthermore, age was assessed to be an important factor influencing the nutritional status of adolescent girls