Stunting, underweight and wasting among Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme children aged 3–5 years of Chapra, Nadia District, West Bengal, India

Abstract

This study investigated age and sex variations in height and weight, levels of stunting, underweight and wasting among 533 (254 boys; 279 girls) 3- to 5-year-old rural children of Bengalee ethnicity at 11 Integrated Child Development Services centres of Nadia District, West Bengal, India. Height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height < -2 z-scores were used to evaluate stunting, underweight and wasting, respectively, following the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Guidelines. Results revealed that boys were significantly heavier than girls at age 3 years. Significant age differences existed in mean height and weight in both sexes. Mean z-scores of height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height were lower than those of NCHS for both sexes at all ages. The overall (age and sex combined) rates of stunting, underweight and wasting were 23.9%, 31.0% and 9.4%, respectively. The rate of underweight and wasting was higher among girls (underweight = 35.1%, wasting = 12.2%) compared with boys (underweight = 26.5%, wasting = 6.3%). In general, the frequency of stunting increased with increasing age in both sexes. Based on the World Health Organization classification of severity of malnutrition, the overall prevalence of underweight was very high (>or=30%). The prevalence rates of stunting (20-29%) and wasting (5-9%) were medium. In conclusion, the nutritional status of the subjects is unsatisfactory. There is scope for improvement in the form of enhanced supplementary nutrition.

Prevalence of undernutrition among Kora-Mudi children aged 2–13 years in Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal, India

“…Underweight is used as a composite indicator to refl ect both acute and chronic undernutrition but stunting is an indicator of chronic or long-term nutritional deficiency and/or disease or illness. [37] Thereby, the children in the present study experienced instant and prolonged nutritional stress.…”

Stunting in India: An Empirical Approach to Human Rights-Based Solutions

“…These individuals have limited modern resources and have little to no access to knowledge and power that could potentially influence their social, cultural, and political awareness and practices. Educational interventions within a human rights framework call for a sound understanding of the cultural factors related to stunting in order to limit the prevalence of stunting in India (Bose et al 2007).…”

Assessment of Nutritional Status by Mid Upper Arm Circumference (Muac) Among Rural Children of Katihar District in Kosi Region of Bihar

“…There is scanty information of the prevalence of under nutrition among preschool children in India (9,15) and Bihar. (16,17) Anthropometric examination is an almost mandatory tool in any research on health and nutritional condition in childhood and the study of nutritional status is of great importance for the understanding of the social wellbeing in a population. (18,19) The mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) is an important measurement which is often used for the assessment among pre-school children.…”