AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

The study is a cross-sectional examination of growth and nutritional status among Marshallese school children living on Majuro Atoll. Colonialism and globalization have altered the foods available, economic structure, and historical social constructs of Marshall Islanders, especially those living on Majuro Atoll and these transitions have affected the growth and nutrition of the islanders. Anthropometric measurements were used to calculate nutritional status and body composition indices. The WHO 2007 child growth reference and Frisancho's Anthropometric Standards for the Assessment of Growth and Nutritional Status were used to explore the growth of Marshallese children. The sample consisted of 588 Marshallese children, aged 5 to 14 years of age, attending primary schools on Majuro Atoll. The overall rate of stunting among sampled Marshallese children was 34.6%. The rate of underweight children was less (8.2%) but this rate only reflects children aged 5-9 years due to the design of the WHO 2007 reference. This proportion of weight to height among the sample revealed body mass indices as "normal" when compared to the reference and the utility of body mass index among the Marshallese sample is brought into question. After exploring the rates of malnutrition among the entire sample, the anthropometric and body composition z-scores, as calculated in comparison to the references, of children attending public and private schools on Majuro were compared. The average z-scores for every nutrition and body composition measurement were statistically significantly higher in private school children. The study makes a particular focus on food, particularly with nutrition and food availability. Previous nutritional assessments in the Marshall Islands compared to the present study finds no improvement in the rates of malnutrition despite localized efforts to address the issue. This study attempts to link the economic and nutritional transitions brought about by globalization occurring with Marshall Islanders over the last 150 years to the growth measures among the Marshallese population.