The paper examines various aspects of the growth monitoring (GM) component of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme of India. Data of 3704 rural children, 0-6 years of age revealed that growth of almost half of the children had never been monitored, and monitored inadequately in another 25 per cent of cases. While very few mothers (1 per cent) could interpret growth charts (GC) correctly, 87 per cent of the ICDS functionaries could do this. There was a significant and positive relationship between maternal knowledge and functionary knowledge of the growth chart (GC), and coverage of children for GM. Impact of mothers' GC knowledge on nutritional status of children was determined largely by their literacy status; however, only 17 per cent were literate. Analysis of covariance of the effect of GM on weight-for-age and morbidity controlling for socio-economic status and other programme services showed that GM did not have an impact on the nutritional or health status of children. It is therefore concluded that very high levels of illiteracy amongst mothers may be a major determinant to the success of GM programmes in India.
Data of 4302 children, 0-6 years old were analysed to study the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and the efficacy of vitamin A prophylaxis in preventing xerophthalmia co-existing with malnutrition. Manifestation of ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency were seen in 10 per cent children. The prevalence of xerophthalmia was higher in the normal and mild to moderately malnourished children, and lowest in the severely malnourished ones. The ability of vitamin A prophylaxis to curb xerophthalmia was greatest at the extreme ends of the nutritional grade spectrum. These findings have important implications for the existing national Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme, and suggest that: (a) normal and mild to moderately malnourished children less than 6 years old, should be preferably considered for vitamin A mega dosing; (b) in the management of protein energy malnutrition, vitamin A status of the children should be monitored; and (c) the coverage should be improved as most children are in the mild and moderate degrees of malnutrition.
The effect of mothers’ work status on their children's nutrition and health was determined from data from 1,990 rural children, one to six years of age, from Chandrapur District, Maharashtra, India. The relative risk of a child of a working versus a non-working mother being malnourished was 1.7 by weighs for age and 1.8 by height for age. The relative risks of developing anaemia and vitamin-A deficiency were 1.4 and 1.5 respectively for the children of working mothers. The relative risks for younger children of getting measles, severe diarrhoea, and worm infestation were significantly higher in those whose mothers worked. Family income and child's age were significant intervening factors in the ad verse effects of maternal work status on all nutrition- and health-status variables except pneumonia and vitamin-A deficiency. Poor income appeared to be the major detrimental factor, with the mother's working status being an aggravator.
This article analyses the effects on children's nutritional status of their mothers' knowledge of nutrition while controlling for the effects of the socioeconomic characteristics of the family. In almost every test of the effects of various aspects of nutritional knowledge on weight for age and height for age, per capita monthly income was a significant intervening factor; the exception was the knowledge of ORS preparation. In the case of weight for height, house construction type was a significant intervening factor. The authors conclude that, unless mothers' economic status improves simultaneously with nutrition knowledge, they may not be able to practice what they know, but that it is nevertheless essential to increase their nutrition knowledge.
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