Một số chỉ tiêu nhân trắc và tình trạng dinh dưỡng của học sinh từ 6 - 10 tuổi thuộc khu vực miền núi tỉnh Bình Định

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Tạp chí Khoa học - Trường Đại học Quy Nhơn, 2019, 13(6), 87-94
Một số chỉ tiêu nhân trắc và tình trạng dinh dưỡng 
của học sinh từ 6 - 10 tuổi thuộc khu vực miền núi 
tỉnh Bình Định
Nguyễn Thị Tường Loan
Khoa Giáo dục Tiểu học và Mầm non, Trường Đại học Quy Nhơn
Ngày nhận bài: 30/09/2019; Ngày nhận đăng: 02/12/2019
TÓM TẮT
Mục tiêu của bài báo là đánh giá một số chỉ tiêu nhân trắc, từ đó thấy được tình trạng dinh dưỡng của học 
sinh từ 6 - 10 tuổi thuộc khu vực miền núi. Nghiên cứu được tiến hành trên 2.040 học sinh (gồm 1.024 nam và 
1.016 nữ) thuộc một số huyện miền núi tỉnh Bình Định theo phương pháp mô tả cắt ngang có so sánh. Kết quả 
nghiên cứu cho thấy, các chỉ tiêu nhân trắc cơ bản: chiều cao, cân nặng, vòng ngực, vòng đầu của học sinh khu vực 
miền núi tỉnh Bình Định tăng dần theo tuổi và hầu hết các chỉ số đều thấp hơn so với học sinh cùng độ tuổi ở các 
khu vực khác trong nước và trên thế giới. Học sinh miền núi tỉnh Bình Định có tỷ lệ suy dinh dưỡng là 21,67%, 
tỷ lệ này là khá cao so với cả nước và trong khu vực, vì vậy cần có những kế hoạch đầu tư hơn nữa về mọi mặt 
cho các khu vực miền núi, nhằm giúp sự tăng trưởng của học sinh tốt hơn, góp phần nâng cao tầm vóc người Việt 
Nam trên cả nước.
Từ khóa: Học sinh tiểu học, học sinh miền núi, học sinh Bình Định, chỉ số nhân trắc, dinh dưỡng học sinh.
*Tác giả liên hệ chính. 
Email: loantuong@gmail.com
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TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN
KHOA HỌCTẠP CHÍ
Journal of Science - Quy Nhon University, 2019, 13(6), 87-94
Some anthropometric indicators and the nutritional status 
of the pupils from 6 to 10 years old in the mountainous 
area of Binh Dinh province
Nguyen Thi Tuong Loan
Faculty of Primary School and Preschool Education, Quy Nhon University
Received: 30/09/2019; Accepted: 02/12/2019
ABSTRACT
The objective of the paper is to assess some anthropometric indicators, showing the nutritional status of pupils 
from 6 to 10 years old in mountainous areas. The research was conducted on 2,040 pupils (including 1,024 males and 
1,016 females) in some mountainous districts of Binh Dinh province using the method of cross-sectional comparison. 
The research results show that the basic anthropometric indicators: height, weight, chest, head circumference of 
pupils in mountainous areas in Binh Dinh province increase gradually with age and most of the indicators are lower 
than those of pupils of the same age in other parts of the country and around the world. Mountainous pupils in Binh 
Dinh province have a malnutrition rate of 21.67%, which is quite high compared to that of the whole country and in 
the region, so it is necessary to have more investment plans in all aspects for the mountainous areas to help pupils 
have the better growth, contributing to raising the stature of Vietnamese people nationwide. 
Keywords: Primary pupils, mountainous pupils, Binh Dinh pupils, anthropometric indicators, pupils’ nutrition.
*Corresponding author. 
Email: loantuong@gmail.com
1. INTRODUCTION 
Anthropometry is one of the biological 
indicators showing growth and development 
in humans. For children, the anthropometric 
indicators also show the growth rate and 
nutritional status of children, contributing 
to the orientation for the development and 
stature of the Vietnamese people. However, the 
current situation of the growth, development 
and nutritional status of primary children in 
mountainous areas is still limited, which has 
affected quite a lot on the stature of Vietnamese 
people and the human strategy in general. In 
order to contribute to the implementation of the 
“General project on physical development and 
stature of Vietnamese people in the period of 
2011 - 2030” of the Prime Minister, issued on 
April 28, 2011,7 we conducted a research on basic 
anthropometric indicators: height, weight, chest, 
head circumference of primary pupils, from 
that assessing the nutritional status of children 
through the topic “Some anthropometric 
indicators and the nutritional status of pupils 
from 6 to 10 years old in the mountainous 
area of Binh Dinh province ” to assess some 
anthropometric indicators, from that showing 
the nutritional status of pupils from 6 to 10 years 
old in mountainous areas of Binh Dinh province.
2. SUBJECTS AND RESEARCH METHODS 
2.1. Subjects and research duration
- Our research subjects are pupils from 
6 to 10 years old in primary schools in some 
mountainous districts in Binh Dinh province. 
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Pupils in the research area were free of 
chronic disease and were not morphologically 
malformed, showed no abnormal physiological 
signs, were not absent in surveys and were of 
appropriate age.
- Research duration: from October 2017 
to May 2018.
2.2. Sampling method and sample size
- The sample size was selected randomly 
by ...  primary pupils in Binh Dinh province
 Age
 Height (cm)
 X1 - X1 pTotal (n= 2.040) Male (
n
1
= 1.024) Female (n2= 1.016)
X ± SD Increase X 
1
 ± SD Increase X 2± SD Increase
6 114,24 ± 6,07 - 113,96 ± 6,21 - 114,53 ± 5,92 - - 0,57 > 0,05
7 120,20 ± 5,70 5,96 120,15 ± 5,72 6,19 120,26 ± 5,68 5,73 - 0,11 > 0,05
8 125,44 ± 6,06 5,24 125,14 ± 5,91 4,99 125,76 ± 6,22 5,50 - 0,62 > 0,05
9 130,08 ± 6,06 4,64 130,90 ± 5,90 5,76 129,28 ± 6,12 3,52 1,62 > 0,05
10 134,47 ± 6,13 4,39 134,68 ± 5,79 3,78 134,26 ± 6,48 4,98 0,42 > 0,05
Average increase / year 5,06 5,18 4,93
Table 2 shows that the height of pupils 
increases from 6 to 10 years old. 6-year-old 
children have an average height of 114.24 ± 6.07 
cm and 10-year-old children are 134.47 ± 6.13 
cm. Females have a lower annual growth rate 
than men (females increase 4.93 cm/year, male 
increase 5.18 cm/year), girls are higher than 
boys (p> 0.05) at the age of 6 to 8 but at 9 and 10 
years of age, boys are taller than girls (p> 0.05). 
This may be because girls have puberty earlier 
than boys so the age of prepuberty also comes 
earlier. Comparing with a number of domestic 
and foreign research results, we notice that the 
group of pupils in our study has lower height than 
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pupils in Thu Dau Mot City (2015) and pupils 
of many studies in our country.2,3 Compared 
to the research results of NCHS (1981), WHO 
(2007) and CDC (2007-2010),10 the pupils in our 
study were also lower in all age groups, although 
these studies were conducted many years ago 
(p <0.05).
3.2. Weight of mountainous primary pupils 
by age and gender
Besides height, weight is also a basic 
anthropometric indicator that clearly shows the 
growth of children. The results of the weight 
survey of mountainous pupils in Binh Dinh 
province are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Weight of mountainous primary pupils in Binh Dinh province
 Age
Weight (kg)
 X1-X2 pTotal (n= 2.040) Male (n1 = 1.024) Female (n2 = 1.016)
X ± SD Increase X1 ± SD Increase X2 ± SD Increase
6 19,13 ± 4,00 - 19,13 ± 4,33 - 19,13 ± 3,66 - 0,00 > 0,05
7 21,24 ± 4,63 2,11 21,46 ± 4,89 2,33 21,03 ± 4,36 1,90 0,43 > 0,05
8 23,72 ± 5,19 2,48 23,21 ± 5,03 1,75 24,26 ± 5,31 3,23 -1,05 > 0,05
9 26,43 ± 5,66 2,71 27,03 ± 5,41 3,82 25,85 ± 5,85 1,59 1,18 > 0,05
10 28,24 ± 6,02 1,81 29,61 ± 6,74 2,58 26,81 ± 4,77 0,96 -0,20 > 0,05
Average increase / year 2,28 2,62 1,92
Table 3 shows that the weight of the child 
increases over the years. At the age of 6, the 
mountainous pupil in Binh Dinh province had 
an average weight of 19.13 ± 4.00 kg but by 
the age of 10 was 28.24 ± 6.02 kg. The average 
annual increase is 2.28 kg, of which the male 
has an average growth rate higher than that of 
female (male increases 2.62 kg/year and female 
is 1.92 kg/year). The weight of male and female 
children at different ages is not much different 
(p > 0.05).
Pupils in mountainous areas in Binh Dinh 
province have an increasing weight of 6-10 years 
old, consistent with previous studies....1,2,3,6,10 The 
highest increase is for females at the age of 7 and 
for males at the age of 9. At all ages, pupils in 
mountainous Binh Dinh province have a higher 
weight than that in the research results in 2002 
and 2003 (p < 0.05) and lower than that in the 
results of recent years (2009, 2013, 2015) with 
p < 0.05. The average increase of pupils in 2002 
was 2.63 kg/year; 2003 was 1.67 kg/year; 2007 
was 2.7 kg/year; 2009 was 2.37 kg/year; 2013 
was 2.22 kg/year; 2015 was 2.99 kg/year and 
in our study was 2.28 kg/year. Comparing the 
weight of primary pupils in Binh Dinh province 
in 20098 with current mountainous pupils shows 
that after nearly 9 years their weight did not 
increase (p < 0.05). Thus, in the same study area, 
the weight of the mountainous group of pupils 
is lower than the average weight of pupils of the 
same age in the province, this is explained by 
the limitations of socio-economic conditions of 
mountainous districts. The weight of pupils of 
the same age in our study is also lower than that 
of foreign organizations such as NCHS, WHO 
and CDC (with p < 0.05).10
The third important anthropometric 
indicator of physical strength of each person is 
chest size. The average chest size of 2,040 pupils 
in the mountainous area of Binh Dinh province 
is shown in Table 4.
3.3. Chest size of mountainous primary pupils 
by age and gender
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Tạp chí Khoa học - Trường Đại học Quy Nhơn, 2019, 13(6), 87-94
Table 4. Average chest size of mountainous pupils in Binh Dinh province
 Age
 Chest size (cm)
 X1 - X2 pTotal (n= 2.040) Male (n1 = 1.024) Female (n2 = 1.016)
X ± SD Increase X
1 
± SD Increase X
2 
± SD Increase
6 59,19 ± 5,11 - 59,14 ± 5,57 - 59,25 ± 4,62 - -0,11 > 0,05
7 59,79 ± 5,06 0,60 59,85 ± 5,06 0,71 59,73 ± 5,06 0,48 0,12 > 0,05
8 61,05 ± 6,01 1,26 60,57 ± 5,94 0,72 61,54 ± 6,05 1,81 -0,97 > 0,05
9 63,16 ± 6,08 2,11 64,73 ± 5,88 4,16 61,65 ± 5,91 0,11 3,08 > 0,05
10 64,56 ± 6,38 1,40 65,18 ± 7,08 0,45 63,91 ± 5,50 2,26 1,27 > 0,05
Average increase / year 1,34 1,51 1,17
The chest size indicator of mountainous 
pupils in Binh Dinh province at the age of 6 is 
59.19 ± 5.11 cm, at 7 years old - 59.79 ± 5.06 cm; 
at 8 years old - 61.05 ± 6.01 cm; at 9 years old - 
63.16 ± 6.08 cm and at 10 years of age is 64.55 ± 
6.38 cm. The difference in chest size in male and 
female is not statistically significant (p> 0.05). 
Males have the fastest chest size growth at 9 
years old and females at 10 years old.
The increase in chest size of male pupils is 
higher than that of female pupils (male increases 
an average of 1.51 cm/year; female is 1.17 cm/year).
Comparing the growth of chest size of 
primary pupils in mountainous areas of Binh 
Dinh province with other studies shows that 
pupils in our study have lower average chest size 
than that in the research results in pupils of the 
same age in the province and city of Thu Dau 
Mot in 2015 (p < 0.05).3 
3.4. Head circumference of mountainous 
primary pupils by age and gender 
Table 5 shows that the head circumference 
of pupils increases gradually with age with 
not much increase. 6-year-old children have a 
circumference of 51.16 ± 1.45 cm for boys and 
51.11 ± 1.68 cm for girls; up to 10 years of age, 
the male has a head circumference of 53.38 ± 
1.70 cm and the female is 52.55 ± 1.45 cm; the 
average growth rate of 0.46 cm/year. In general, 
the average circumference of pupils from 6 to 
10 years old in Binh Dinh province is 51-54 cm, 
which is higher than that of pupils at the same 
age of Vietnamese standard in GTSH (p < 0.05).1
According to the research in 2012 by 
Dinh Ngoc De, the average size of the head 
circumference of children from 6 to 12 years old 
is 50 - 52 cm. Other researches suggest that the 
average head circumference for 6 to 10 years old 
pupils is 50 - 54 cm. The results of the head size 
survey by WHO are as follows: at 6 years of age 
is 48 - 52.5 cm, at 7 years olds: 48.2 - 54 cm, at 
8 years old: 48.6 - 54.2 cm, at 9 years old: 48.8 - 
54.6 cm and at 10 years of age is 48.9 - 54.8 cm. 
Turkish primary pupils in 2015 have a head size 
of 48 - 56.5 cm...5,9,10 Head circumference, body 
size and memory have a positive correlation, so it 
is important to pay attention to diet and safety to 
help the child’s brain develop well. On the other 
hand, it is necessary to enhance memory training 
for children through intellectual activities such as 
learning, games ... Thus, the head circumference 
of pupils from 6 to 10 years old in mountainous 
areas in Binh Dinh province is within normal 
limits. Based on height and weight criteria, we 
determine BMI, from that assessing nutritional 
status of pupils.
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Table 5. Average head circumference of mountainous pupils in Binh Dinh province
Age
Head circumference (cm)
X
1 
- X2 pTotal (n= 2.040) Male (n1= 1.024) Female (n2= 1.016)
X ± SD Increase X
1 
± SD Increase X
2 
± SD Increase
6 51,14 ±1,57 - 51,16 ± 1,45 - 51,11 ± 1,68 - 0,05 > 0,05
7 51,60 ±1,61 0,46 51,52 ± 1,46 0,36 51,68 ± 1,74 0,57 -0,16 > 0,05
8 51,74 ±1,69 0,14 51,74 ± 1,57 0,22 51,74 ± 1,62 0,06 0,00 > 0,05
9 52,62 ±1,93 0,88 53,29 ± 1,85 1,55 51,98 ± 1,79 0,24 1,31 > 0,05
10 52,97 ±1,63 0,35 53,38 ± 1,70 0,09 52,55 ± 1,45 0,57 0,83 > 0,05
Average increase / year 0,46 0,56 0,36
3.5. Nutritional status of mountainous pupils 
in Binh Dinh province
Table 6 shows that mountainous pupils 
have a high proportion of severe malnutrition 
and moderate malnutrition, accounting for 
5.49% and 16.18% respectively. Of which, male 
children account for a higher proportion than 
female children.
Table 6. Nutritional status of mountainous pupils in Binh Dinh province
 Nutritional status
Total (n= 2.040) Male (n1=1.024) Female (n2= 1.016)
n % n % n %
Severe malnutrition 112 5,49 68 6,64 44 4,33
Moderate malnutrition 330 16,18 167 16,31 163 16,04
Normality 1364 66,86 661 64,55 703 69,19
Overweight 162 7,94 77 7,52 85 8,37
Obesity 72 3,53 51 4,98 21 2,07
Primary pupils in Binh Dinh province 
in 2009 had an average malnutrition rate of 
22.23% but by 2016 it was only 11.18%;8 This 
shows that the malnutrition rate among pupils of 
this age has decreased significantly. However, 
mountainous pupils in our study account for 
a malnutrition rate of 21.67% (p > 0.05). This 
shows that the malnutrition rate of pupils in the 
province has decreased but it has only decreased 
in urban and rural areas; mountainous areas have 
hardly decreased.
From 2010 to 2012, a study of 3,600 
children aged between 0.5 and 11 in urban 
and rural areas showed that the proportion of 
malnourished children in 2000, 2010 and 2011 
gradually decreased, respectively 30.8%; 21.5% 
and 18.1%. The highest rate of malnutrition is 
in mountainous areas, then to rural areas and 
the lowest is urban areas. Meanwhile, the ratio 
of overweight - obesity is highest in urban areas 
and lowest in mountainous areas.6 
The situation of malnutrition, overweight 
and obesity of children varies by ecological 
region and time of study. In 2011, the survey 
result of stunting children in 6 provinces 
(Hanoi, Ha Nam, Quang Binh, Hue, Ho Chi 
Minh City and Ben Tre) in Vietnam was 13.7% 
at the age of 6 - 9 and 18.2% at the ages of 
9 - 11. In 2012, among primary pupils in district 
5 Ho Chi Minh City 2.3% were malnourished, 
and 21.2% were overweighed. In 2014, research 
results at some primary schools in Nghia Dan, 
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Nghe An showed that 21.5% of the pupils had 
low weight and stunting pupils accounted for 
17.8%.6 In 2015, the number of malnourished 
primary pupils in Hai Phong was 2.15%, in Thu 
Dau Mot was 5.7% in boys and 8.91% in girls....3 
In general, primary pupils in the mountainous 
areas of Binh Dinh province nowadays have 
a quite high rate of malnutrition (21.67%) 
compared to the whole province, other provinces 
in the country and in the region.10
The basic anthropometric indicators of 
pupils from 6 to 10 years old in mountainous 
areas of Binh Dinh province are higher than 
that of the Vietnamese biological values (2003) 
but lower than that of pupils of the same age 
according to recent domestic studies2,3 and 
foreign organizations.10 The situation of severe 
and moderate malnutrition of children is quite 
high. Therefore, organizations and authorities 
need to have more policies on economy, culture 
and society to support the lives of people in 
mountainous areas, and need to plan key strategies 
such as health, nutrition and education to help 
children and people in these areas have a better 
life, higher incomes, stable jobs, contribute 
to raising awareness and improving life for 
themselves and the community in order to 
implement the project on physical development 
and stature of the Vietnamese successfully.
4. CONCLUSION
- Anthropological indicators of pupils from 
6 to 10 years old in the mountainous districts of 
Binh Dinh province gradually increase with age. 
The average height of children from 6 to 10 years 
old is 114.24 cm; 120.20 cm; 124.44 cm, 130.08 
cm and 134.47 cm respectively. Average weight 
is 19,13 kg; 21.24 kgs; 23.72 kg; 26.43 kg and 
28.24 kg respectively. The average chest size is 
59.19 cm; 59.79 cm; 61.05 cm; 63.16 cm and 
64.56 cm respectively. The head circumference 
increases gradually: at 6 years of age is 51.14 
cm; at 7 years old - 51.60 cm; at 8 years old - 
51.74 cm; at 8 years old is 52.62 cm and at 10 
years of age is 52.97 cm.
- Malnutrition status accounts for 21.67%. 
This is a relatively high rate compared to the 
current rate of the whole province and the whole 
country.
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