A Study of Associated Factors on Nutritional status and Academic Performance of Adolescents of Public Schools at Jajarkot District, Nepal

Introduction: Undernutrition poses a critical public health challenge for adolescents (10-19 years) in developing countries, according to WHO (1995), impacting growth, brain development, and long-term health. Chronic undernourishment during adolescence can lead to delayed pubertal development and extended growth, affecting learning abilities before and during school. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study (Sept-Dec 2022) involved 424 adolescents from 14 schools in Jajarkot. A welldesigned questionnaire assessed diet diversity, morbidity, academic performance, and anthropometric measurements. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 and WHO Anthroplus software. Results: Stunting affected 40% of adolescents, with higher prevalence in girls (42.5%) than boys (37.2%). Wasting was more prevalent in boys (11.4%) compared to girls (18.4%), while overweight prevalence was over double in girls (2.2%) compared to boys (1%). Nearly half of adolescents had minimal dietary diversity (45.04%), with variations between girls (43.4%) and boys (47%). Academic performance was distributed among first (29.5%), second (63.9%), and third (6.6%) divisions. Statistical associations were found between morbidity, age groups, stunting, gender, dietary practices, parental education, ethnicity, and academic performance. Conclusion: Majority of adolescents with less than five food groups in their diet exhibited poor academic performance. Undernutrition, exacerbated by inadequate dietary practices and morbidity, impacts cognitive achievement. Promoting diet diversity is crucial for improving nutritional status, height for age, and maintaining a normal BMI for adolescents, thereby reducing malnutrition prevalence.