Determinants of Nutritional Status in Children Aged 0 - 6 Years in Rural Rajasthan

Abstract

BACKGROUND Child malnutrition estimates for the indicators stunting, wasting, overweight and underweight describe the magnitude and patterns of under- and over-nutrition. India is facing a major malnutrition crisis as shown in NFHS 4 data (2015-2016) that 35.7 per cent children below five years are underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted and 21 per cent are wasted. Malnutrition is a widely prevalent health problem in Rajasthan also. However, there has been reduction in malnutrition among children from 44% NFHS-3 (2005-06) to 39.1% in NFHS-4 (2015-2016) in Rajasthan. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out in 25 randomly selected villages of Jaipur district, Rajasthan for a period of one month during December 2013. The prevalence of under nutrition among the age group of 0 - 6 years in Rajasthan (NFHS-2) was 40%. As per the above assumptions, the sample size calculated was 396. Weight for age criteria of WHO was used to detect the nutritional status of children. Chi square test was used, and a p value <0.05 was considered significant. Associations of nutritional status with factors like antenatal care, birthplace, birth order, birth attendant, immunization status, supplementary nutrition and sociodemographic profile were determined. RESULTS Only 41.70% of children had normal nutritional status, 47.72% were moderately undernourished and 10.60% were severely undernourished respectively. Mother's literacy level, mother's age, mother ANC registration, place of delivery, supplementary nutrition, and immunization status were significantly associated with the nutritional status of the child. CONCLUSIONS Early nutritional status assessment, identification of potential determinant factors with nutrition-specific interventions are major strategies to prevent childhood morbidity and mortality. Other affordable interventions like adolescent girls' education and skill development programme, and mother and child health care are required to halt the deteriorating malnutrition situation in India.