Nutritional Status and Anaemia with Special Reference to Morphological Classification in Underfive Children.

ABSTRACT

Nutrition of pre-school children (0-5 years age group) is of paramount importance because the foundation for lifetime health, strength and intellectual vitality is laid during this period. Aims: To assess the nutritional status and hemaoglobin status and morphological classification of anaemia of children below five years of age. Settings and Design: Community based cross-sectional study in children below five years of age from urban slum, Nagpur. Methods and Material: A house-to-house survey was done. By systematic random sampling 434 children below five years of age were included in the study. Every child was subjected to anthropometric measurements using standard technique. Haemoglobin estimation was done by using Sahli’s haemoglobinometer and peripheral smear was prepared. Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed on Epi- Info Software 3.2 version. Chi square test is used to test the significance. Result: 52.23 % were suffering from various grades of malnutrition. 32.18 % children were in grade I, 16.09 % in grade II, 3.46 % in grade III and 0.5 % in grade IV malnutrition. 78.71 children had anaemia (Hb < 11gm/dl). It was observed that 34.9 % children had microcytic and hypochromic anaemia, 19.6 % had dimorphic, 13.7% had normocytic normochromic and 7.5% had macrocytic anaemia. Out of these 2 children had sickle cell disease. A statistically significant association was observed between malnutrition and anaemia. Conclusion: Nutritional rehabilitation centers should be started in the community and linked with health centers to treat less severely affected undernourished children.