Mid-upper arm circumference based undernutrition among Bengalee children of Chapra, West Bengal, India

To investigate age and sex variations in undernutrition using mid-upper arm circumference [MUAC] cut-off values among 2016 [930 boys and 1086 girls], 3-5 years old rural children of Bengalee ethnicity at 66 Integrated Child Development Services [ICDS] Centers of Nadia District, West Bengal, India. In a cross sectional study in west Bengal of India, MUAC was measured using standard technique. A total of 2028 children [935 boys and 1093 girls] from 66 ICDS centers were enrolled in this study. The response rate was approximately 95%.Mean MUAC among boys was higher than girls at all ages except 5 years. Significant sex differences were not observed over ages. The age-combined rates of overall [moderate and severe] undernutrition among boys [38.49%] was higher than among girls [32.22%].The age-combined rates of moderate undernutrition were 36.34% and 31.03% among boys and girls, respectively. The rates of severe undernutrition were 2.15% and 1.20% among boys and girls, respectively. There were sex differences in both moderate and severe undernutrition. In general, there was an increasing trend in the rates of overall undernutrition from 3 to 5 years in both sexes. These children were experiencing severe nutritional stress

Comparison of nutritional status between tuberculosis patients and controls: A study from North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, India

The nutritional status of tuberculosis patients (TBP) and controls (CT) was compared among adult (> 20 years) Bengalees in Shyamnagar, Barrackpore, Naihati and Jagaddal of North 24 Parganas District, West Bengal, India. The subjects included 310 men (154 TBP and 156 CT) and 246 women (128 TBP and 118 CT). The mean ages of TBP men was 36.4 years (CT = 34.5) and that of TBP women was 26.4 years (CT = 25.6). Variables compared included weight, height, fat mass, fat mass index, mid-upper arm fat area, and skinfolds. Results revealed that TBP had significantly lower means for all variables (except for height in men) compared to CT in both sexes. In men, the highest percent differences between the two groups were observed for fat mass (FM: 60.1%), fat mass index (FMI: 59.2%) and suprailiac skinfold (SUPSF: 58.8%). In women, the highest percent differences between the two groups were observed for SUPSF (59.7), mid-upper arm fat area (MUAFA: 58.1), triceps skinfold (TSF: 51.4), biceps skinfold (BSF: 51.2), FM (51.2) and FMI (49.0). Regression analyses confirmed that tuberculosis status had significant impact (p < 0.0001) on all anthropometric and body composition characteristics compared (except for height in men) in both sexes. Among men, tuberculosis status explained the highest percent variation in percent body fat (PBF: 57.2%), FMI (56.0%) and FM (55.6%). In women, tuberculosis status explained the highest amount of variation in PBF (67.9), TSF (63.5%), BSF (62.8), FMI (61.0) and FM(60.7). Results of contingency chi-square tests revealed that there were significant differences in the frequency of undernutrition between TBP and CT in men (χ2 = 73.13361) and women (χ2 = 59.0000). The frequencies of undernutrition were significantly more common among TBP, in both men (56.5%) as well as women (51.6%). This study provided evidence that there was significant differential amount of loss in fat and muscle measures in tuberculosis patients.