R. V. Lakshmi ¹, M. Sylvia Subapriya ², K. Kalaivani ¹, Prema Ramachandran ¹

Affiliations
1 Nutrition Foundation of India, C-13, Qutab Institutional Area, IN
2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinshilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, IN

Abstract

Respiratory infection, diarrhea and fever are three common infections in underfive children; there are substantial differences in the reported prevalence and ranking of these three morbidities between studies and surveys. Seasonal and year to year variation in prevalence of morbidity and impact of health care on the duration and severity of infection has not been explored. A large scale mixed longitudinal study of under-five children from urban low income households was carried out to document year to year and seasonal variations in the prevalence and type of morbidity and utilization of health care for morbidity and their impact on duration and severity of morbidity. Between January 2012 and Dec 2015 a total of 3888 pre-school children were investigated and 74636 observations were made; prevalence of morbidity was 10.3% (range 7.2%-11.6%). Prevalence of morbidity was higher between July and October. Respiratory infection was the most common and diarrhea was the least common illness in children. Over years there was a rise in the respiratory illness because of increase in construction activity in the study area. There was a fall in diarrhoeal diseases after construction of water supply and drainage system. Majority of the households accessed health care; as a result duration of illness was short and severe morbidity was rare. Improvement in environmental hygiene can result in reduction in morbidity. Access to health care reduces duration and severity of infection.

Keywords

Pre-School Children, Morbidity, Seasonal Changes, Health Care, Environmental Hygiene.

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R. V. Lakshmi ¹, M. Sylvia Subapriya ², Kalaivani Krishnamurthy ¹, Prema Ramachandran ¹

Affiliations
1 Nutrition Foundation of India, New Delhi - 110 016, IN
2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043), IN

Abstract

India is currently the home of the largest number of under-nourished and over-nourished children in the world. Data from longitudinal studies in India indicate that both under nutrition and over-nutrition in childhood is associated with higher risk of over-nutrition and noncommunicable diseases in adult life. A community based mixed longitudinal study of underfive children from urban low income families was taken up to assess their nutritional status. Weight was taken every month in all; length was measured every month in infants and height was measured once in three months in 1-5 year children. BMI was computed in all. Nutritional status was assessed using the WHO anthro software package. Between 2012 and 2015, 3888 pre-school children were enrolled (49.4% boys and 50.6% girls); mean age of these children at enrolment was 22.5±16.17 months. The mean Z scores for height for age was - 1.79; weight for age was - 1.41 and -0.47 for BMI for age. Prevalence of stunting was 43.4%; underweight was 31.9%, wasting was 12% and over-nutrition was between 3-5%. The reduction in wasting rate between 0-3 years was mainly due to the increase in prevalence of stunting. With universal screening for early detection of wasting and over-nutrition and effective management of these, it will be possible to achieve the WHA targets of reducing and maintaining wasting below 5% and preventing increase in over-nutrition in this population. This may reduce the risk of over-nutrition and non-communicable diseases in these children during their adult life.

Keywords

Under-Five Children, Nutritional Status, Stunting, Underweight, Wasting, Over-Nutrition.

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