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Background: Adolescents health status is a cumulative effect of the health and nutritional problems occurring during early childhood as well those originating in period of adolescence.

Objectives: To determine nutrition and health status of adolescents using body mass index, dental caries and visual acuity and the relationship between BMI, gender, age and period of adolescence.

Methods: In 2009, 182 adolescents aged 10-16 years in armed force secondary school in Port Harcourt were selected in the junior secondary schools. Weight, height were measured, BMI estimated, their visual acuity and dental status were also assessed.

Results: The prevalence of underweight, overweight and stunting were 46.2%, 6.6% and 36.3% respectively. Twenty three percent had refractive error and prevalence of dental caries was 24.2%. There was a significant difference in the mean BMI by gender and period of adolescence. The …