Factors affecting nutritional status of Anganwadi children: A cross-sectional study
Ira Jain1, Simmi Oberoi1, Ankur Jain1
1Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India.
Insights
Child malnutrition remains a significant concern, with factors like gender, immunization, and supplementary nutrition impacting nutritional status. Early interventions can improve child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Alarming rates of child malnutrition persist, with 35.7% of children under five underweight according to NFHS 2015-16.
- Understanding factors influencing children's nutritional status is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors associated with the nutritional status of children under five.
- To analyze the relationship between gender, birth order, immunization, and supplementary nutrition on child malnutrition.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from mothers of 1085 children attending Anganwadi centers in Patiala using a pretested questionnaire.
- Ethical approval obtained from the institutional ethics committee prior to data collection.
Main Results:
- Female children exhibited a higher underweight proportion (35.85%) compared to males (28.68%).
- Underweight prevalence was higher in unimmunized children (38.91%) versus immunized children (31.34%).
- Children receiving supplementary nutrition showed a greater proportion in the normal weight range.
Conclusions:
- Child gender, birth order, and immunization status are significantly linked to nutritional status.
- Supplementary nutrition intake is associated with a reduced prevalence of malnutrition in children.
Introduction:
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16, 35.7% children below 5 years of age are underweight. In light of Malnutrition rates still remaining alarming in children, it becomes pertinent to elicit the factors that affect nutritional status of children. So, this study was undertaken.
Materials And Methods:
After obtaining ethical approval from institutional ethics committee, data were collected on a pretested questionnaire. Information from mothers of 1085 children attending Anganwadi center in an urban block of Patiala was collected and analyzed.
Results:
Among females, 35.85% were underweight, whereas the proportion for males was 28.68%. The proportion among immunized children who were underweight was 31.34%, whereas the proportion among unimmunized children was 38.91%. Those who received supplementary nutrition were also in more in numbers in normal weight range than those who did not.
Conclusion:
Gender, birth order, and immunization status of child are significantly associated with nutritional status. This study showed that prevalence of malnutrition was less among those who received supplementary nutrition as compared to ones who did not.
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