Socio-demographic correlates of stunting among children in Port Blair, India

Authors

  • Ritu Singh Department of Pediatrics, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Shivani Rao Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Lena Charlette Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Pandurang Vithal Thatkar Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Narayanan Rajaram Department of Anesthesiology, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Ajay Raj Sethuraman Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20183838

Keywords:

Stunting, Severe stunting, Port Blair, Chronic malnutrition, Undernutrition

Abstract

Background: Stunting or low height-for-age is failure to reach linear growth potential, and is a key indicator of chronic under nutrition. The objectives of the study were to assess the status of stunting among children attending outpatient department and to evaluate the demographic profile of such children.

Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study conducted over a period 6 months from August 2015 to January 2016 among children within age group of 2 to 12 years attending outpatient department of GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair. Height-for-age z-scores (HFAz) was generated using the WHO Anthro software (version 3.2.2).

Results: Overall 444 students’ were included in the study which included 213 male children (48%) and 231 female children (52.0%). Out of this 21.70% children were stunted and 6.3% children were severely stunted. Among the socio demographic factors shunting and severe stunting is seen among lower/upper lower class (82.14%) followed by middle/lower middle class.

Conclusions: Collective effort by government, non-government organizations is required to plan long term and short term strategies addressing the risk factors.

 

Author Biographies

Ritu Singh, Department of Pediatrics, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics

Shivani Rao, Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine

Lena Charlette, Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Tutor, Department of Community Medicine

Pandurang Vithal Thatkar, Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Statistician, Department of Community Medicine

Narayanan Rajaram, Department of Anesthesiology, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology

Ajay Raj Sethuraman, Department of Community Medicine, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine

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Published

2018-09-24

How to Cite

Singh, R., Rao, S., Charlette, L., Thatkar, P. V., Rajaram, N., & Sethuraman, A. R. (2018). Socio-demographic correlates of stunting among children in Port Blair, India. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(10), 4231–4236. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20183838

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Original Research Articles