Abstract:
The study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of under-five year children and to find out the factors associated with it. A community based cross sectional study was conducted on 98 children aged 6-59 months for assessing the nutritional status of under-five children and factors associated with it in three shelters in Damgade, Sankosh and Alchidada of Dhading. Anthropometric measurements were used to identify nutritional status. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20 version and World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro 3.2.2 version were used for analyzing the data. Chi-square test was used to identify the associated factors of malnutrition.
The analysis of the study showed that 38.8% stunting and 19.4% severe stunting, 16.3% wasting and 7.1% severe wasting, 28.6% underweight and 13.3% severely underweight. The pregnancy age of mother was found significantly associated with stunting. The stunted rate was found higher in the children born by mother above 20 years in c omparison to the mother below 20 years. Wasting was significantly associated with birth order of child and immunization during pregnancy. Result showed higher the birth order, higher was the wasting prevalence and child from immunized mother during pregnancy were less wasted. Underweight was significantly associated with mothers knowledge about malnutrition. Children from mother having knowledge about malnutrition were highly underweight in compare to children from mother who didn’t have proper knowledge about malnutrition. There was inverse relationship between underweight and mother’s knowledge about malnutrition. Results of this study indicate that under nutrition is still an important problem among 6-59 months children residing in three shelters of Dhading. Hence the nutrition interventional programs focusing these risk factors should be launched immediately to overcome the problems.
