Abstract

PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN 8 - 10 YEARS IN BOKARO DISTRICT

Kumari Reeta* and Kumari Manju

ABSTRACT

School age children are hardly thought of as “at risk” population but this period is a unique intervention point in the life cycle. Primary school years are busy ones and children need good nutrition to help them concentrate at school and to fuel their day- to- day activities (play and sport). Children of this age are also constantly growing. Middle childhood (7 – 12 years) has been called the latent time of growth as the rate of growth slows down and body changes occur gradually. Now a day, need of nutrition education is very essential to address the nutritional and health problem among children. The study was focused on the prevalence rate of malnutrition in 8 – 10 years old children. A total of 50 school going children were selected and data were collected using pre-tested schedule which include general information, clinical examinations for nutrient deficiency and anthropometric measurements. From the results it can be concluded that According to Waterlow’s classification (weight/height) 20 percent children are suffering from mild malnutrition whereas 2 percent children from total no. of children are suffering from severe malnutrition. The mean anthropometric measurements of school going children age between 8 – 10 years are less than the standard. Nutritional knowledge of school going children is also poor. The nutritional status of a good proportion of the respondents is unsatisfactory, due to significant difference in average height, weight and MUAC of both girls and boys respondents and presence of clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies.

Keywords: Malnutrition, School going children, Anthropometric measurements, Clinical assessment.