Impact of Maternal Occupation on Health and Nutritional Status of Preschoolers. (In Srinagar City)

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to find out the impact of maternal occupation on health and nutritional status of preschool children. The nutritional status of children was assessed using anthropometric data, clinical assessment and diet record. The anthropometric data were taken and compared with ICMR growth charts and nutritional status was assessed by Hamwi Method, which is also used to find the degree of malnutrition (i.e. % IBW= (actual weight / ideal body weight) x 100). There is almost a negative deviation from the standards regarding almost all age groups of both working and non working mothers. It was found that 34% of preschoolers of working mothers usually skip meals, whereas only 12 % preschoolers of non working mothers skipped meals. It was further found that children of employed mothers of 3+ age group showed mild degree of malnutrition. It is evident that maternal occupation plays an indispensible task in seminal child feeding practices which may influence child's wellbeing and development.