BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We decided to determine if there were differences in the nutritional and health status among illegal immigrant adolescents from Morocco and Algeria. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study (1997-2003); 120 male adolescents (86 Moroccans and 34 Algerians) admitted to protection centers of Zaragoza City were assessed. The nutritional status was assessed using the anthropometric method. The health status was assessed according to a standardized medical and laboratory protocol. RESULTS: The mean age (SDU) of the Moroccans was 15.9 (1.2) years and the mean age of the Algerians was 15.6 (1.5) years. Significantly lower values of weight (p = 0.027), upper arm circumference (p = 0.0005) and subscapular skinfold thickness (p = 0.023) along with a significantly higher incidence of ferritin isolated deficiency (p = 0.027; odds ratio = 7.54; 95% CI, 0.96-59.32) were observed in the Moroccan adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Illegal immigrant adolescents from Morocco had a significantly lower nutritional and iron reserves status than that observed in illegal immigrant adolesents from Algeria.

Nutritional status Argelia Ferritin Health status Illegal Maghreb Morocco Immigration Adolescence

clinical protocol immigrant ferritin blood level Algeria protein deficiency arm circumference human health status school child Adolescent Spain Article skinfold thickness major clinical study age body weight ferritin standard nutritional health anthropometry retrospective study Morocco