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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Thinness is a major underlying problem among Indian children

Nitish Mondal, Jaydip Sen

    Journal of Tropical Pediatrics
    |March 10, 2010
    PubMed

    Insights

    Child undernutrition, or thinness, is a significant issue affecting over 70% of rural primary school children in West Bengal. Urgent nutritional interventions are needed to improve their health.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Nutrition
    • Public Health
    • Anthropometry

    Background:

    • Child undernutrition is a global concern, with developing nations facing alarming rates.
    • This study assessed thinness prevalence in 2111 rural primary school children (ages 5-12) in Darjeeling district, West Bengal.

    Discussion:

    • Utilizing Cole et al.'s international BMI cut-offs, the study found high rates of thinness.
    • Mean BMIs were 14.01 ± 1.57 kg/m² for boys and 14.17 ± 1.87 kg/m² for girls.
    • Overall thinness affected 71.11% of boys and 67.77% of girls, indicating a severe public health problem.

    Key Insights:

    • Child undernutrition, specifically thinness, is highly prevalent in rural Indian children.
    • The study highlights a critical nutritional deficit in primary school-aged children in West Bengal.
    • A significant portion of the study population exhibited varying grades of thinness.

    Outlook:

    • Targeted nutritional intervention strategies are essential for improving the health of rural children in West Bengal.
    • Addressing child undernutrition requires a focused public health approach in affected regions.
    • Further research into the specific causes and effective interventions for thinness in this population is warranted.

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