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Working at an early age can have adverse consequences on health. WORKING CHILDREN due to their occupational hazards are at risk of communicable and non-communicable diseases such as malnutrition, anemia and growth retardation. This study aimed to determine the NUTRITIONAL STATUS and prevalence of anemia in working and non-WORKING CHILDREN. This case-control study was carried out as cross-sectional, on 90 working and 90 non-working 8-18 year-old boys in Kermanshah. The data gathering tools were demographic and food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). Anthropometric parameters were measured using standard tools. 5 ml blood for blood biomarkers test was collected from the participants. Average height and weight of the WORKING CHILDREN were respectively 3.7 cm and 5.7 kg less than of those of the non-WORKING CHILDREN (P= 0.02). Prevalence of iron deficiency in WORKING CHILDREN was more than double in non-WORKING CHILDREN (28% vs 11.3%, P= 0.01). Hemoglobin concentration in WORKING CHILDREN was significantly less than that in non-WORKING CHILDREN (p= 0.05). Except for bread and cereals, the WORKING CHILDREN’s consumption of all food groups was significantly less than that of non-WORKING CHILDREN (P< 0.001). WORKING CHILDREN are at the risk of developing anemia and malnutrition so they need emergency nutritional supports.