An evaluation of infants' growth in the Kingdom of Nepal

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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

S Hosono1, M Okazaki, S Kagimoto

  • 1Saitama Children's Medical Center, Japan. hosonos@rb3.so-net.ne.jp

Acta Paediatrica Japonica : Overseas Edition
|September 24, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Growth monitoring in Nepalese children revealed significant delays in weight gain and hampered catch-up growth due to chronic undernutrition. Early intervention and health worker training on growth charts are crucial for improving child health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • The His Majesty's Government/Japan International Cooperation Agency Primary Health Care Project aimed to improve health in Nepal.
  • Growth monitoring is a fundamental tool for assessing child health and nutritional status.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate infant growth patterns in the Bhaktapur district of Nepal.
  • To identify causes of growth faltering and failure-to-thrive in Nepalese children.

Main Methods:

  • Anthropometric indices measured in 759 children.
  • Analysis using World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts and Japanese national growth standards (1990).

Main Results:

  • Infants up to 4 months followed the 50th percentile, but 5-12 month olds showed delayed weight gain (3rd percentile).
  • Children over 1 year had growth curves below the 3rd percentile, with no catch-up growth before age 5.
  • Chronic undernutrition and poor nutritional balance were identified as primary barriers to catch-up growth.

Conclusions:

  • This study highlights the critical need to analyze causes of growth faltering in Nepalese infants.
  • Appropriate counseling on feeding and health practices is essential.
  • Training Nepalese health workers to effectively use growth charts is a key component of integrated healthcare.
Abstract

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