Nutrition monitoring of pre-school children
Kumar, V.; Bhasker, R.; Gupta, K.C.
Indian Pediatrics 12(2): 153-158
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 1158472 Document Number: 89157
The weights of 155 rural pre-school children from Ramgarh village in the Ambala district of Haryana were studied for 3 years. A record of common diseases and skin infections was kept throughout the year. A detailed nutritional status survey was made of 182 children, with detailed evaluation of anthropometric and physical signs of malnutrition. A similar study was made of 72 children of well-to-do families in Chandigarh. During the first 6 months of life, the weights of 73% of the Ramgarh children were above 70% of the expected weight for age. During the 7th to 24th months of age, 84% of the children became undernourished (below 70% of expected weight for age) and 16% showed signs of marasmus. The peak incidence of malnutrition in the children occurred between April and September, which was also the peak period for diarrhoea, febrile illnesses and skin infections. In the Chandigarh children, though no malnutrition was noted, the bodyweights declined between May and August. Of the Ramgarh children whose bodyweights were less than 60% of that expected for age, 31% had 3 or more signs of protein and energy malnutrition. Only 7% of those 61 to 70% of reference weight, 3% of those 71 to 80% and 4% of those 81 to 100% of reference weight had 3 or more signs of protein and energy malnutrition. It is suggested that nutrition supplementation programmes should give priority to children aged 7 to 24 months.