asked the Minister for Health if he will state the average percentage of malnutrition found to exist among school children inspected by medical officers of health in the most recent year for which reports are available in respect of Counties Longford, Westmeath, Leix and Offaly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Percentage of Malnutrition.
The information requested by the Deputy has been prepared in tabular form, and with the permission of the Ceann Cómhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
The following particulars are taken from the reports for the year 1946 of county medical officers in regard to school medical inspections:—
|
Number of Children examined |
Cases in which nutritional status was defective |
Percentage |
|
|
% |
|||
|
Laoighis |
2,344 |
9 cases “malnutrition” |
0.4 |
|
Offaly |
2,109 |
41 do. |
1.9 |
|
Westmeath |
2,427 |
77 cases “defective nutrition.” |
3.1 |
|
Longford |
1,751 |
8 cases “poornutrition” |
.5 |
As can be seen the county medical officers have employed a variety of definitions as regards the nutritional status of the children examined: It should be borne in mind that different county medical officers approach this matter in different ways, the main criterion being subjective estimation by the officers concerned.