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Nutritional Status and its Correlates Among Tribal Children of Melghat, Central India

The Indian Journal of Pediatrics volume 81, pages 1151–1157 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To find out the magnitude and epidemiological determinants of malnutrition among 0–6 y tribal children.

Methods

A community based cross sectional study was done in the villages of Melghat in central India. The information of 540 children in the age group 0–6 y was collected. The newly developed WHO growth standards were used to calculate conventional indices of malnutrition (underweight, stunting and wasting) and composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF). Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to find out the correlates of malnutrition.

Results

The prevalence of malnutrition among these tribal children in terms of underweight, stunting, and wasting were 60.9 %, 66.4 % and 18.8 % respectively. Malnutrition in terms of composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) was 76.3 %. The important correlates of malnutrition that emerged out of this study were the age of child, age of mother less than 20 y at her first pregnancy, practice of not feeding colostrum, calorie deficit diet, anemia and morbidities like diarrhea and acute respiratory illnesses.

Conclusions

The prevalence of malnutrition was high in tribal children. The health care delivery at village level should be strengthened for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of anemia and other morbidities in children. The strategies are needed to delay the child bearing age in this community and improve breast feeding practices.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their special gratitude and thanks to District Health System and Women & Child Development Department, Amravati for providing necessary information for this study.

Contributions

MRT: Investigated and designed the study, collected data, done analysis and wrote the manuscript; GBS: Guided the study design, assisted in writing the manuscript, critically evaluated the article and will act as guarantor for the paper.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

None.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine, NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Nagpur, 440019, Maharashtra, India

    Manoj Rajanna Talapalliwar

  2. Department of Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha, India

    Bishan S. Garg

Authors
  1. Manoj Rajanna Talapalliwar
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  2. Bishan S. Garg
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Correspondence to Manoj Rajanna Talapalliwar.

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Talapalliwar, M.R., Garg, B.S. Nutritional Status and its Correlates Among Tribal Children of Melghat, Central India. Indian J Pediatr 81, 1151–1157 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-014-1358-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-014-1358-y

Keywords

  • Malnutrition
  • Melghat
  • Composite index of anthropometric failure
  • Underweight
  • Stunting
  • Severe acute malnutrition