Joton Chandra Nath¹, Iftekhar Ahmad^1,, Razia Sultana Chowdhury¹, Abdur Razzak², Nimmi Hossain³, Bidhan John Costa³, Wahidu Zzaman¹

To assess the nutritional status and hygiene practices of primary school children in rural areas (haor) in sylhet division by anthropometric methods. Measure the height, weight and calculate BMI of school aged children. To assess the prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting of primary school children at Haor areas in sylhet. Make a statistical analysis of the scenario and a comparative discussion for rural living children. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 300 primary school children aged between 7 to 12 years at Haor areas in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The samples were selected by using simple random method and face to face interview adopted through semi structured questionnaire. Nutritional status was determined by according to WHO classification. Collected data were analyzed by using SPSS version of computer technology. Among 300 primary school children at haor areas, 46.67% that means 140 students has normal height, weight and age which calculated as normal condition. On the other hand, in rural school going 45.67% students are underweight, over weight in rural school going students is 6% and obese is 1.66%. In case of WAZ, 19% were below normal, 78.33% were normal, 1.33% over the normal and 1.33% were obese. In case of HAZ, 10% were below the normal, 87.33% were the normal, 1.66% were over the normal and 1% were obese. And in case of WHZ 18% under the normal, 81% were normal and .66% were over the normal. This study showed that malnutrition is widely prevalent among primary school children. Appropriate screening in school health program and proper nutrition education program may be recommended as early as possible.

nutritional status, hygiene practice, primary school children, Haor areas, Sylhet