Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Nutritional status of urban slum children below five years: Assessment by anthropometric measurements with special reference to socioeconomic status

Author(s):

Md Ariful Alam ¹, M. A. Hakim ^{2, 3}, M. A. Rouf ⁴, Md Obidul Haque ⁵, M. E. Ali ⁶, I. S. M. Zaidul ⁷

Recieved Date: 2011-01-06, Accepted Date: 2011-04-06

Abstract:

This study presents the findings on the nutritional profile of under 5 years of age children in different slums of Kushtia district in Bangladesh by anthropometric measurements with special reference to their socioeconomic status. It is a cross sectional survey conducted on 105 children. The results show that parents educational level and family incomes are very poor, which indicates that they belong to the low socioeconomic status. Most of them live in semi tin shed houses and majority of them use sanitary latrine and tube well water but none of them boil water before drinking. Anthropometric measurements were performed by standard methods (NCHS and Gomez classification). Mean (±SD) weight, height and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) of the children were 13(±1.91) kg, 91.76(±7.65) cm and 14.26(±1.21) cm, respectively. Mean weight, height and MUAC for male were 13.12(±1.66) kg, 91.66(±6.74) cm and 14.39(±0.94) cm, respectively, and for female children 12.88(±2.15) kg, 91.81(±8.13) cm and 13.93(±1.00) cm, respectively. Values of weight tend to be higher for male children. The growth performance (underweight) of the children was measured by using the indicator weight for age (W/A Z score). It showed that 1.90% of the children were severely underweight (-3 SD) and 31.42% moderately underweight (-2.00 to -2.99 SD). Of children 40% had mild underweight between -1.00 to -1.99 SD of the NCHS median. According to Gomez classification, 90.19% of male and 92.59% of female children were moderately underweight. Children weight for height (Z-score) according to age group amongst all the children showed that 8.57% were wasted (-2 SD to <-3 SD), and 56.86% and 3.92% of male and 72.22% and 5.55% of female children were wasted and severely wasted, respectively. Children height for age Z-score was between -1.00 to +1.99 SD of the NCHS median. The prevalence of severe stunting (<-3 SD) was about 8.57% and that of moderate stunting (-2.99 to -2.00 SD) 25.71%.s.

Keywords:

Nutritional profile, Kushtia district, Bangladesh, NCHS and Gomez classification, malnutrition

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Category: Food and Health
Pages: 85-90

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