Nutritional Status of Adolescents Studying in a Government School of Nagpur City: A Cross-sectional Study

Background:The nutritional status of school children is a critical public health concern, as it plays a vital role in their growth, development, and academic performance.Malnutrition is a widespread problem affecting millions of children globally, including both extremes, undernutrition on one end and overnutrition on the other.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 5-19 has risen dramatically from just 4% in 1975 to just over 18% in 2016.Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood.Increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and psychological effects.There is a need to assess and compare the nutritional status of school children in this type of institution to identify potential factors.This study aims to evaluate the nutritional status of adolescents studying in a government school.Objective: To assess the nutritional status of adolescents studying in a government school in Nagpur city.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 10-16 years studying in a government school of Nagpur city from November 2022 to April 2025.The school was selected by convenience sampling, and students were included using universal sampling.Nutritional status was assessed through anthropometric measurements.Data were collected using a pre-designed, pre-tested, semistructured questionnaire by the interview method.Results: Among 230 adolescents studied, the mean age was 13.1 1.63 years; 50.87% were boys and 49.13% were girls.Normal BMI-for-age was observed in 65.22% of students.Thinness and severe thinness were seen in 20.44 and 9.56%, respectively, with higher prevalence among boys.Overweight and obesity were present in 3.91 and 0.87%, respectively.Stunting affected 13.48% of students, more commonly among girls. Conclusion:The study reveals a dual burden of malnutrition, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions among adolescents.Clinical significance: This study shows a dual burden of malnutrition among government school adolescents, with undernutrition more common than overnutrition.Regular school-based nutritional screening and targeted interventions are essential to improve adolescent health outcomes.