FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF 6 –59 MONTHS CHILDREN IN SUKUMBASI BASTI NORTH WEST BOUNDARY OF SARDHU KHOLA, DHARAN

Abstract

This research was conducted to assess the factors associated with nutritional status of under five year children in sukumbashi Basti northwest boundary of sardhu khola, Dharan. Anthropometric measurements and structured questioners were used. Anthropometric measurement was then used to determine nutrition status of children (underweight, wasted and stunted) based on WHO references. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 20 version and World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro 3.2.2 version were used for analyzing the data. Fischer exact and Chi- Square test was used to identify the associated factors of malnutrition Based on WHO classification, Out of 162 children, stunted, wasted, underweight and overweight were found to be 32.7%, 6.2%, 15.4% and 3.1% respectively. Severe underweight, severe stunted and sever wasted were found to be 4.9%, 9.9% and 4.3% respectively. Result showed that the highest percentage of stunting, wasting ,underweight and overweight in that age group were found to be 52.4% in 48-59 months, 12.1% in 12-23 months, 24.2% in 12-23 months and 10.7% in 6-11 months respectively. According to MUAC based on WHO classification wasting was found to be 22.2%. Result showed that wasting based on MUAC measurement 2.5% children was found to be severely wasted while 19.7% children were found to be moderately wasted. Wasting, stunting, underweight and overweight were found to be higher in male. The survey result conducted that among the associated factors studies gender was associated with stunting. Weight of birth i.e. low birth weight was associated with underweight and wasting. Age during pregnancy was associated with underweight. Age of mother and education of mother was associated with wasting and underweight. There were no association between weight of birth, age during pregnancy, mother’s education and age of mother with stunting.