Correlation of weight for age of children and knowledge about growth chart among mothers

Authors

  • Aruna P. Tubachi Department of Community Medicine, RVMMIM & RC, Laxmakkapally, Telangana, India
  • Shalini Nooyi Department of Community Medicine, Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • N. S. Murthy Department of Community Medicine, Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181714

Keywords:

Growth chart, Weight for age, Undernourished

Abstract

Background: India is developing country, even with vast improvement in country’s economy malnutrition remains a challenge. Growth chart gives easy way of monitoring the growth of the child and hence help in early diagnosis and early correction of malnutrition. This study is intended to assess the knowledge of mothers about the growth chart and educate them in the same.

Methods: A hospital -based, cross-sectional descriptive study. Conducted among mothers of children aged less than five years attending health centres for immunization during July and August 2013 by complete enumeration till sample size is met.

Results: The study shows 28.4% of the children were underweight. The figure is similar to NFHS 3 results. Only 20 i.e. 14.9% of mothers had seen the growth chart before. Only 5 could tell the use of growth chart. None of the mothers were able to name the chart. Only one mother knew how it is used and could interpret the colors. Attitude and practice regarding growth chart is very poor. The study shows that mother’s occupation and father’s education had significant effect on weight of the child.

Conclusions: The present study shows poor knowledge regarding the use of growth chart among mothers. With the high percentage of under nutrition among under 5 one of the easy and cheap method of monitoring the weight is by explaining mothers how to monitor the weight of the child. Further there is need to motivate health workers to help mothers in understanding the same.

Author Biography

Aruna P. Tubachi, Department of Community Medicine, RVMMIM & RC, Laxmakkapally, Telangana, India

COMMUNITY MEDICINE, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

References

United Nations Children’s Fund National Institute of Medical Statistics UNICEF, New Delhi 110029. Available at URL www.unicef.in. Accessed on 23 July 2013.

Nombe E. An Investigation Into The Knowledge Mothers Have About Children’s Growth charts. Curationis. 1992;15(1):26-8.

Morley D, Elmore-Meegan M. Growth monitoring a forgotten subject. Available at: www.fao.org/ docrep/003/x8576m/x8576m03htm. Accessed on 12 July 2013.

Park K. Park’s textbook of preventive and social medicine. 22nd ed. Bhanot publications, Jabalpur; 2009.

Daniel B, Tesfaye N, Mekonin E, Kassa A, Mensur K, Zerihun E, et al. Knowledge and Attitude on Growth Monitoring and its Associated Factors among Mothers/Guardians of Children Less than Two Years in Areka Town, Southern Ethiopia, 2017. J Nutr Disorders Ther. 2017;7:3.

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Published

2018-04-24

How to Cite

Tubachi, A. P., Nooyi, S., & Murthy, N. S. (2018). Correlation of weight for age of children and knowledge about growth chart among mothers. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(5), 2011–2015. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181714

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Section

Original Research Articles