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2017 Month : July Volume : 6 Issue : 54 Page : 4057-4062

NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN (6-15 YEARS) IN A SEMI-URBAN AREA OF CACHAR DISTRICT, ASSAM.

Ajit Kumar Dey1, Ajoy Bhusan Nath2

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Ajit Kumar Dey,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Community Medicine,
Silchar Medical College,
Silchar, Assam, India.
E-mail: drajit.smc@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

The foundation of adequate growth and development is laid before birth, during childhood, and is followed during adolescence. Nutritional status is an important index for measuring quality of life especially in children. In this respect, understanding the nutritional status of children has far reaching implications on better development of future generations as well as future development of humanity. Malnutrition and diet are by far the biggest risk factors for the global burden of disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted to understand the malnutrition scenario among the rural school children of 6-15 years age group and interplay of different sociodemographic factors contributing to it. Anthropometric data were analysed using WHO Anthro Plus version 1.0.4 software for assessing the growth of the children and by using appropriate statistical methods.

RESULTS

The mean height of boys and girls of the study group was lower than WHO 2007 standards in all age groups. Of the 216 school children, 53, 31 and 111 were stunted/severely stunted, underweight/severely underweight, and thin/very thin, respectively. Both univariate and multivariate analysis revealed different associated sociodemographic factors contributing to poor nutritional status of children such as low socioeconomic status and poor educational background of their parents (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The causes of malnutrition are not only recent but also long term deprivation resulting to chronic malnutrition. Malnutrition results from the interaction of poor-quality diets and poor-quality health and care environments and behaviours, so urgent steps should be taken to improve nutritional status of school children.

KEYWORDS

School Children, WHO Reference Standard, Adolescent, Malnutrition.

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