A STUDY TO ASSESS THE PREVELANCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN BETWEEN 3-6 YEARS OF AGE GROUP IN SELECTED RURAL COMMUNITY

Biological & Medical sciences

Malnutrition is the most widespread condition affecting the health and growth of the children scantly at suitable foods, lack of purchasing economic power of the family as well as traditional belief and taboos about what the child should eat, often lead to an insufficient balanced diet resulting in malnutrition. Malnutrition makes the child more susceptible towards infection recovery show and mortality is higher. Undernourished children do not grow to their full potential or standard growth. It also manifest by clinical sign of micronutrient and vitamin deficiencies. Prevention and appropriate treatment of diarrhea, measles and other infection in infancy and early childhood are important to reduce malnutrition. A descriptive study to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among children between 3-6 years of age group in selected rural community was conducted with objectives to evaluate measurement {weight, height, mid-arm circumference, head circumference, chest circumference}. To determine association between malnutrition status of the children with selected socio-demographic variables. The present study showed that all demographic variables are accordingly distributed. There was a significant relationship between age, type of family, gender & dietary pattern socio-demographic variables. There were 18(36%) were suffered from severe malnutrition, 17 (34%) from moderate malnutrition & 15(30%) were from mild malnutrition. There is a need of improvement of dietary pattern & awareness among parents regarding malnutrition & its complications.

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