1Department of Paediatrics, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Ariyur, Puducherry.
Background: Adolescence is a critical stage where nutrition supports growth and lifelong health. Undernutrition impairs pulmonary function by reducing skeletal muscle mass, including the diaphragm, weakening respiratory mechanics and lowering Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR). Malnourished children often show reduced FVC and FEV1, likely from delayed airway growth. Recognizing the link between nutrition and PEFR highlights how deficiencies extend beyond stunted growth to compromise lung function. PEFR, as a simple non-invasive measure, can aid early detection and guide targeted nutritional and respiratory interventions for adolescents.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out to ascertain the relationship between undernutrition and peak expiratory flow rate in Puducherry's school-age adolescents (10–19 years). The height and BMI Z scores were calculated using the WHO growth chart. The peak expiratory flow rate is measured using peak flow meters.
Results: The study included 540 adolescents (48.7% males, 51.3% females) with a balanced age distribution across 10–18 years. PEFR was found to correlate positively with age and gender, increasing steadily with age and consistently higher in males. Undernutrition, particularly stunting and thinness, showed a significant negative impact on PEFR, underscoring how nutritional deficiencies impair lung function. Overnutrition also demonstrated a negative association, though not statistically significant, suggesting a possible double burden of malnutrition. Stunting exerted a stronger effect than thinness, reflecting the irreversible impact of chronic malnutrition compared to the potentially reversible effects of acute muscle wasting.
Conclusion: Timely diagnosis and intervention during adolescence are crucial to enable catch-up growth and preserve lung function. Periodic nutritional assessments can help detect stunting early and prevent long-term pulmonary complications. Undernourished adolescents presenting with respiratory illness require heightened clinical care to reduce morbidity and mortality, emphasizing the importance of integrated nutritional and respiratory health strategies.
Keywords: Undernutrition, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), malnutrition, Stunting.
How to cite this article: Kavya K, Kulandaivel M, Latha V, Gunalan A, Aparajithan A. Correlation of Undernutrition and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in the School Going Adolescents of Puducherry. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 614-623. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.72
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None