Assessment of Nutritional Status of a Government Girls Orphanage in Tangail District of Bangladesh

Evidence shows that school-age children are particularly vulnerable to under nutrition, if they are orphan than issue is more complicated. Children malnourished at school age are likely to have been malnourished since adult hood and chance to suffer by different communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCD). The objectives of the study were to assess the complete nutritional status of the female orphans living in the Government Shishu Sadan (Girls) in Tangail district and also to explore the associate factors of the nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 school going female orphans (age between 6-16 years) in 2012 in a selected government orphanage named Government Shishu Shadan (Girls), located in the Tangail district of Bangladesh. Selection of target population was based on the well communication and full co-operation from the orphanage authority. One in every three (32.0%) orphan girls was malnourished that is underweight or overweight. They are deprived from balanced diet like, egg, milk, and fruits. Majority of the orphan girl suffering from fever and common cold and their hygiene practice is also questionable. The rate of chronic under nutrition became more prevalent with long duration of stay in the orphanage. Efforts should be directed towards increasing energy intake in the orphanages’ diets.