NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN 6-59 MONTHS OF AGE AND FACTOR ASSOCIATED IN FLOOD AFFECTED AREA OF ITAHARI, SUB-METROPOLITAN CITY, SUNSARI, NEPAL

Abstract

Malnutrition is still a major public health problem in Nepal. Factors that contribute to malnutrition are many and varied, so integrated and multi-sectoral strategies are required to combat it. Thus, it is very important to determine its causative factors before implementation of any appropriate intervention to improve the nutritional status. This study tries to analyze the factors associated with nutritional status among 6-59 months age group children so that appropriate corrective actions can be implemented for the improvement of nutritional status. Cross-sectional descriptive survey using a structured questionnaire and measurements of weight, height and MUAC was carried out to determine the nutritional status of 6-59 months children and factors associated with it. A structured questionnaire was administered to the mothers or care- taker. Anthropometric measurement was then used to determine if children were underweight, wasting and stunting based on WHO reference. WHO Anthro version 3.2.2 and SPSS version 20 were used to analyze data. χ2 - test was used to analyze the factors associated with it. Prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was 30%, 10.7% and 18.5% respectively where 0.7 % were severely stunted, 0.7 % were severely wasted and 1.4 % were severely underweight. Study indicated that family income was significantly associated with stunting (P=0.001) and children from families with low annual income were more likely to be stunted than from families with high annual income. Birth order (P=0.000) and colostrum feeding of child (P=0.020) were found statistically significant with wasting .Birth order (P=0.000), family income (P=0.024), birth-weight (P=0.043) and age at first pregnancy (P=0.043) was significantly associated with underweight. Results of the study indicate that under nutrition is still an important problem among 6-59 months children in flood-affected area of Itahari. Furthermore, birth order of child, family income, colostrum feeding, birth weight and age at first pregnancy are the major risk factors for malnutrition. v