A study of environmental factors affecting nutritional status of under 5 children in rural area of North India Jain Parul1,*, Virk Amrit2, Khan Zahid Ali3, Mittal Anshu4, Singh Harshpreet5, Nazir Muzamil5 1PG Student, Deptt. of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana 2Professor and Head, Deptt. of Community Medicine, AIMSR, Ambala 3Assistant Professor, Deptt. of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana 4Professor and Head Deptt. of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana 5PG Student, Deptt. of Community Medicine, MMIMSR, Mullana *Corresponding Address: Dr. Parul Jain D/49, MMIMSR, Mullana(Haryana) Mobile: 9654981233 Email: dr.pj007@gmail.com
Online published on 25 September, 2018. Abstract Background Children are the future of a nation. The prime concern of a society is to ensure healthy growth and development. Normal Growth and development takes place only if there is optimum nutrition, safe environment to live in. 5.9 million children died in 2015 mainly due to preventable causes. 45% of under 5 deaths are attributable to undernutrition. Aims And Objectives To assess nutritional status of under 5 children and to study environmental factors affecting the nutritional status. Methodology A cross sectional study was conducted among 600 children in rural area of district Ambala, Haryana. In door to door house survey, anthropometric measurements of children were done z score was calculated to assess the nutritional status of children. Environmental factors were studied and correlated with nutritional status. Results 30.7%, 46.2% and 7.5% of children were found to be underweight, stunted and wasted respectively. Open defecation, having access to unsafe water and children living in kuccha houses were found to be more underweight. Conclusion Open defection, unsafe water and living in kuccha houses are related with undernutrition in children. Proper sanitation of the drinking water should be promoted in the community to prevent the water born diseases in the children. Top Keywords Environmental factors, underweight, nutritional status, under 5. Top |