Assessment of Micronutrient consumtion status and body composition of active and inactive primary school girls student in Urmia city and comparing them with standard values during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly effected on children's lifestyles, requiring a study to assess micronutrient consumption and body composition in active and inactive primary school girls in Urmia city.

In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 323 primary school girls with age between 7-11 years old were randomly clustered selected from schools in Urmia and divided into two healthy active (n=77) and inactive(n=246)groups. First, their general indices and body composition were measured. Active and inactive students had body mass index of 21.13±1.93 and 25.44±2.94 kg/m2, fat percentage was 26.49±7.01% and 30.19±9.22%, respectively. Then, Parents interviewed and completed questionnaires to record student's daily food and physical activity intake for three days.Then, by using Nutrition 4 software, calorie consumption, amount of micronutrients were calculated. Finally, the data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and t-tests.

A significant difference was found in the intake of vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, cobalamin, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K between active and inactive groups. The active group had higher intake, except for vitamin thiamine (P<0.05). There was a Significant difference in minerals between active and inactive groups for phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, sodium, chromium, manganese. (P<0.05). Some groups consumed lower amounts of RDA of cobalamin, A, D, K, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron, while others consumed all above RDA.

COVID-19 has effected on children's diet and body composition, emphasizing the importance of physical activities and diet for educational activities and health.