FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF 6-59 MONTHS OF CHILDREN IN ATHPAHARIYA COMMUNITY OF DHANKUTA DISTRICT, NEPAL

Abstract

Abstract This study was conducted in Athpahariya community of Dhankuta district, Nepal to assess the nutritional status and its determinant factors among under-five children. This study was based on the assumption that prevalence of malnutrition is less than national data. A prospective study was carried out in one hundred and nineteen under-five children were systematically selected from simple random sampling technique. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed by using SPSS version 20 and WHO Anthro software to obtain information on subject socio-demographics status, hygiene practices, breastfeeding practices and child nutrition, child disease and nutritional education. The prevalence of stunted, wasted and underweight children was 32.77%, 5.04%, and 6.72% respectively. The length /height, weight and age were plotted on WHO centiles curves. The malnutrition were graded according to WHO classification all children had MUAC greater than 124 mm and no cases were observed on clinical symptoms of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM). Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding rate were found 65.55% and 57.14% respectively. Child disease (p<0.05) and belief on traditional healer (p<0.05) during illness of child were significantly associated with wasting, type of the family (p<0.05) was significantly associated with under-weight and exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05) was significantly associated with stunting. The result shows that more nutrition education is needed on the part of the mothers so that the poor nutritional status of the children can be improved, to ensure healthy living for both mothers and their children.