Physical growth and nutritional status of Garhwali girls

The present study was conducted to evaluate physical growth and nutritional status of 214 school-going girls ranging in age from 5 to 12 years of rural area in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttaranchal.

Physical growth was evaluated using eleven standard anthropometric measurements viz., height, body weight, sitting height, biepicondylar humerus, bicondylar femur, head circumference, chest circumference, upper arm circumference, biceps skinfold, triceps skinfold and subscapular skinfold. To assess the nutritional status, weight deficit for age, height deficit for age, upper arm circumference deficit for age and triceps skinfold deficit for age have been calculated using NCHS standards.

It has been observed that the well nourished Indian girls and American girls show better performance in physical growth parameters as compared to the Garhwali girls at all ages. The Garhwali girls were found to be comparable with rural Indian girls in their growth status. Grade-I and Grade-II malnutrition was prevalent among the Garhwali girls, however, Grade-III malnutrition was found to be present in only a few girls.

This average to poor nutritional status of the present Garhwali girls may be attributed to low dietary intake, low-middle socio-economic background, uneducated or partially educated parents, large family size, gender discrimination etc.