Nutritional status of school age children of salt-workers in Rajasthan

Nutritional status of 1044 school age children (6-18 yr) of salt workers in various salt manufacturing sites of Rajasthan, was assessed using anthropometry. Heights and weights of girls were observed to be better than in boys in the menarcheal age groups. Children of the present study showed reduced growth in comparison to National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS), World Health Organisation (WHO), well-to-do Indian children and Rajasthan reference values of the same age groups. The prevalence of stunted with severe wasting was 4.5 per cent in the children of salt workers. Higher prevalence of severe wasting was observed in girls than the boys (P < 0.01).