Malnutrition in Devbhumi Dwarka: A Situation Analysis
Somen Saha1,2, Apurvakumar Pandya3,4, Devang Raval1
1Public Health, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, IND.
Insights
Malnutrition is a critical public health issue in India, affecting children, adolescent girls, and women. This study in Devbhumi Dwarka found suboptimal nutritional status and low service utilization, highlighting the urgent need for improved nutrition interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Child Health
Background:
- Malnutrition in India, particularly among adolescent girls, perpetuates a cycle of poor health outcomes, including low birthweight babies and lifelong growth issues.
- The Devbhumi Dwarka district faces significant challenges with the nutritional status of its vulnerable populations.
- Analysis of current nutrition and healthcare service uptake is crucial for understanding the scope of the problem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status of children, adolescent girls, and women in the Devbhumi Dwarka district.
- To evaluate the utilization of existing nutrition and healthcare services by these groups.
- To identify areas for intervention to improve public health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 3,738 participants (children, pregnant/lactating women, adolescent girls) across four blocks.
- Anthropometric assessments were conducted using the WHO Asia Pacific classification for malnutrition assessment.
- Data collection focused on nutritional status and service utilization.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of malnutrition: 14% wasting, 17% underweight, 32% stunting in children under two.
- Significant anemia rates: 72.92% in pregnant women and 91.36% in lactating women.
- 19.6% of adolescent girls were underweight, with block-wise variations observed; service utilization was suboptimal.
Conclusions:
- The Devbhumi Dwarka district exhibits suboptimal nutritional status across key demographic groups.
- Urgent public health attention and targeted interventions are required to address malnutrition.
- Identified priority areas can guide strategies to enhance nutritional well-being in the district.
Abstract:
Background Malnutrition among children, adolescent girls and women is a serious public health issue in India. Malnutrition among adolescent girls is likely to carry on this vicious cycle by giving birth to low birthweight babies. Moreover, low birthweight babies who survive are likely to suffer growth retardation and illness throughout their childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Present situation analysis highlights not only the overall nutrition picture of Devbhumi Dwarka but also narrates the uptake of current nutrition and healthcare services in the Devbhumi Dwarka district. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 3,738 study population (1,301 children, 1,185 pregnant and lactating women and 1,252 adolescent girls) across four blocks of the Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat. Anthropometric assessments were carried out and the WHO Asia Pacific classification was used for the assessment of malnutrition. Results The prevalence of wasting, underweight and stunting was 14%, 17% and 32%, respectively, in children under two years of age. The prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women (Hb <11 g/dL) was 72.92%; 91.36% of lactating women were anaemic (Hb <12 g/dL). The prevalence of underweight (<-2 SD) among adolescent girls was 19.6%. Block-wise variation in prevalence was observed. Overall, utilization of integrated child development services and health services by these target groups remained sub-optimal. Conclusion The study has revealed the suboptimal nutritional status of children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls of Devbhumi Dwarka, which signifies the need for urgent attention. Several areas of priority have been identified and discussed to improve the overall nutrition status in the district.
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