Nutritional Status And Its Associated Factors Among The Children Presented In Maternal And Child Health Center
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47750/pnr.2023.14.03.508Abstract
Background
According to World Health Organization about 45 percent deaths in less than 5-year age group children are due to undernutrition and total undernourished children. Several factors affect child nutritional status of which some include improper breast feeding, inadequate formula feeding, number of children, multiple episodes of infectious diseases, improper hygiene and availability of vaccine. The aim of the current study was to find out the nutritional status and its associated factors among the children presented in maternal and child health center Nawabshah.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Pediatric OPD, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women (PUMHSFW) Hospital, Nawabshah. Anthropometric measures including height, and weight, were measured. Both height and weight were plotted by using ‘weight for age’ and ‘weight for height’ WHO Child Growth Standards charts. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version.20. p-value less than 0.05 was considered as sigmnificant.
Results:
Out of 377 cases, 348 (92.31%) were underweight, 361 (95.76%) were stunted and 322 (85.41%) were wasted. Among 377 children, 81.96% had all three conditions of underweight, stunted and wasted. There was no case of overweight found during my study period. Results found a very strong significant association of educational status of mother, exclusive breast feeding and immunization status of child with nutritional status. Other factors including age of mother and space between the child had a mild but positive association with the nutritional status.
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that there is high prevalence of underweight 92.31%, Stunting 95.76% and wasting 85.41%. The most common risk factors associated with nutritional status of children under 5 years of age are lack of exclusive breastfeeding, poor immunization status, and increased number of siblings and lack of mother’s education.
