The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Nutritional Status among Pre-School Children of South Kashmir Himalayas - A Cross Sectional Study


Affiliations
1 Department of Geography and Regional Development, University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir - 190 006, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Malnutrition has been a major concern in India. In spite of overall improvements in the availability of food, malnutrition especially in children is at an unacceptably high level as revealed by various national surveys. This is true to the state of Jammu and Kashmir as well. The present study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of pre-school children of South Kashmir Himalayas. Four hundred children aged 0-5 years from 37 villages were studied for anthropometric signs of nutritional deficiencies. This was a community based, study that showed wide variation in level of nutritional status of boys and girls. The study revealed widespread prevalence of malnutrition is based on anthropometric measurements. Various indices of nutritional status were expressed in standard deviation units (z-scores) from the reference median. The study revealed a gloomy picture of malnutrition with wasting (21.04%) wasted, stunting (23.78%) and underweight (17.53%) among children underweight and (23.78%) stunted. Positive inputs to improve growth and to overcome body weight deficits are recommended. Preventive measures are needed to improve food security, strengthen supplementary feeding programmes and provision of adequate subsidized food through PDS is recommended to achieve better growth and development of children. Both ecological imbalances and etiological factor like unhygienic personal habits and adverse cultural practices relating to child rearing (early weaning) were prevalent among them. The study highlighted a need for an integrated approach towards improving the child health as well as nutritional status in this area.

Keywords

Malnutrition, Wasted (W/A), Stunted (H/A), Underweight (W/H), Nutritional Status, Z-Score, Gujjar (A Tribal Group), GHI.
User
Notifications

  • Allen, L.H. and Gillespie, S.R. What works? A review of the efficacy and effectiveness of nutrition interventions. United Nations. Administrative committee on coordination/sub-committee on Nutrition, Geneva. Asian Development Bank, Manila. ACC/SCN Nutrition policy paper No.19. ADB Nutrition and development series geneva 2001, 5, 24-25.

  • Khan, Y. and Khan, N. Nutritional status of children (0-24 months) in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh region. Int. J. Scient. Res. Publ., 2012, 6(2), 1-7.

  • Rani, A. Assessment of nutritional status, Sonali Publications, New Delhi, 2010, 20-22.

  • Park. K. Preventive and Social Medicine, (21st Ed) Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers, New Delhi, 2011.

  • Kang, F.R. Health Environment and Health Care in People Republic of China, In: Phillips, D. and Verhassett, Y. (Eds.) Health and Development, Routlege Publications, London. 1994, 262-263.

  • Sachdev, H.P.S. Assessing child malnutrition - some basic issues. Bull. Nutr. Foundations India. 1995, 16, 1-5.

  • Joint report of WHO/UNICEF – Progress on Drinking water and sanitation ort of WHO/UNICEF – Progress on Drinking water and sanitation, 2014.

  • Black, R.E., Morris, S.S. and Bryce, J. Where and why are 10 million children dying every year? The Lancet, 2003, 361(9376), 2226-2234.

  • Rao, S., Yajnik, C.S., Kanade, A., Fall, et al Intake of micronutrient-rich foods in rural Indian mothers is associated with the size of their babies at birth: Pune Maternal Nutrition Study. J. Nutr., 2001, 131(4), 1217-1224.

  • Kamal, S.A. and Ma, M.N. Manual for Obtaining Anthropometric Measurements, 2016, 3-18.

  • National Family Health Survey -3, (2005-006), J&K Series, Ministry of Health and Family, Govt. of India.

  • Dibley, M.J., Staehling, N., Nieburg, P. and Trowbridge, F.L. Interpretation of Z-score anthropometric indicators derived from the international growth reference. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 1987, 46(5), 749-762.

  • Simko, M.D., Cowell, C. and Gilbride, J.A. (Eds.) Nutrition Assessment: A Comprehensive Guide for Planning Intervention. 1995, 19, 25-40.

  • Hammond, K.A. Assessment: Dietary and Clinical Data In: Krause’s Food, Nutrition Therapy. (Eds.) Kahan, L.K. and Escott Stump, S. 12th Edn., Saunders, Pennsylvania, 2008, 401.

  • Carter, J.E.L. Part 1 : The Health Carter Anthropometric Somatotype-Instruction Manual, from htth/cmvwsomatotypeorg/Heath-Carter Manual. pdf[Retrieved 31-01-2013] 2002, 1-26.

  • CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES): Anthropometry Procedures Manual. Atlanta, Georgia, USA, full text: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/nhanes_07_08/manual_an.pdf, 2007.

  • Wang, Y. and Chen, H.J. Use of Percentiles and z-scores in Anthropometry. In Handbook of Anthropometry, Springer New York, 2012, 29-48.

  • Raza, M., Ahmad, A. and Mohammad, A. The valley of Kashmir: a geographical interpretation (Vol. 1). Vikas Publishing House, 1978, 1-34.


Abstract Views: 301

PDF Views: 2




  • Nutritional Status among Pre-School Children of South Kashmir Himalayas - A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract Views: 301  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

Rouf A. Dar
Department of Geography and Regional Development, University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir - 190 006, India

Abstract


Malnutrition has been a major concern in India. In spite of overall improvements in the availability of food, malnutrition especially in children is at an unacceptably high level as revealed by various national surveys. This is true to the state of Jammu and Kashmir as well. The present study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of pre-school children of South Kashmir Himalayas. Four hundred children aged 0-5 years from 37 villages were studied for anthropometric signs of nutritional deficiencies. This was a community based, study that showed wide variation in level of nutritional status of boys and girls. The study revealed widespread prevalence of malnutrition is based on anthropometric measurements. Various indices of nutritional status were expressed in standard deviation units (z-scores) from the reference median. The study revealed a gloomy picture of malnutrition with wasting (21.04%) wasted, stunting (23.78%) and underweight (17.53%) among children underweight and (23.78%) stunted. Positive inputs to improve growth and to overcome body weight deficits are recommended. Preventive measures are needed to improve food security, strengthen supplementary feeding programmes and provision of adequate subsidized food through PDS is recommended to achieve better growth and development of children. Both ecological imbalances and etiological factor like unhygienic personal habits and adverse cultural practices relating to child rearing (early weaning) were prevalent among them. The study highlighted a need for an integrated approach towards improving the child health as well as nutritional status in this area.

Keywords


Malnutrition, Wasted (W/A), Stunted (H/A), Underweight (W/H), Nutritional Status, Z-Score, Gujjar (A Tribal Group), GHI.

References