Feeding practices and nutritional status of children belonging to high risk families

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Date
1999
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Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
A study was conducted at Kalikavu Panchayat of Malappuram district to assess the feeding practices and nutritional status of children belonging to high risk families. The socio economic and dietary back ground of the selected families from the area was ascertained to assess their influence the feeding and current dietary pattern. The study was conducted at two levels; one on a macrosample of 130 children consisting of 100 children belonging to the experimental group (50 infants and 50 toddlers) and 30 children in the control group (15 infants and 15 toddlers). Out of these children a subsample of 30 children constituting 20 per cent of the total sample, selected at random from the macro sample. At the onset of the study an attempt was made to id e n t if y the at r i s k f am i lie s 0 f the are a wit h the s c a I e developed by Srilatha and Gopinathan (1995) and from about 200 families thus identified, 130 families having at least one chi Id in the age group between 6 months and 23 months were selected for the study. This initial survey revealed that presence of chi ldren be low 5 years of age, lack of access to safe drinking water and low employment status were the major family risk factors observed among 60 per cent of the families. Another survey was again conducted among the 130 chi ldren to find out the extent of prevalence of chi Id ri sk factors identified by Ghosh (1992). Low birth weight, lesser spacing between children, repeated infections and working mother were identified as major child risk factors prevalent among 65 per cent of families. To find out the socio economic background of the subjects an interview was conducted. The data obtained on these lines revealed that all the subjects belonged to backward co mm un i tie s wit h a m a j 0 r i t y bel 0 n gin g t 0 s c h e dui e d cas t e communi ties. A joint fami ly system wi t h the predominance of females children was found in the area. The occupational status revealed that majority (51.33 per cent) were agricul- tural labourers with a monthly income below Rs. 1000. They were found to be living in their own small k a t c h a houses without electricity. They had no potable water supply and sani t ar y latrines. Theā€¢ above facts revealed that all factors except religion and caste could negatively influence the nutritional status of the subjects. Feeding practices of the infants and toddlers were in the habit of giving p r e l a c t e a I feeds and breast feeding was initiated from the first day itself. They fed their children 4-6 times a day. Majority of the mothers (more than 50 per cent) had started supplementary feeding between 4 and 7 months. Rag i , banana flour, rice flour, cow's/goat's/buffaloe's milk were given as the first supplement. The dietary pattern of toddlers were found to be inadequate. Problems related to weaning such as vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and colic pain were common among the children. Participation in nutrition intervention programmes by the infants and toddlers selected as subjects was found to be most unsatisfactory. An enquiry on the pattern of immunization revealed that majority (60 per cent) of the subjects were only partially immunized. The growth of the subjects were assessed by anthropometry. The anthropometric measurements such as weight, he i gh t, mid upper arm, head, and ches t circumferences of the subjects when compared with standards revealed that they were significantly lower than that of standards. Further analysis of the data revealed that only 19 per cent of infants and toddlers were normal, while the remaining 81 per cent suffered from different grades of malnutrition. When the rate of growth of these children were measured over a period of 3 months, three times, during the study also revealed that 95 per cent of infants and toddlers did not exhibit significant increments, indicating limitation in growth which has been identified as a risk factor. Detailed dietary survey conducted on a s ub s amp l e of 20 per cent of total subjects by one day recall among infants and by weighment among toddlers revealed that diets of infants and toddlers were found to be ill balanced both in terms of quantity as well as quality. The clinical examination of the subjects revealed that non specific symptoms such as sparse hair, discolouration as we 11 as oedema and spec if i c symptoms such as anaemi a were found among 64 per cent of infants and 54 per cent of toddlers of experimental and control groups. In a nutshell the study revealed that more than 80 per cent of children belonging to selected high risk families were malnourished. All the subjects were living with several risk factors which could deteriorate or negatively influence their nutritional status. Statistical analysis of the data pertaining to NSI as well as the presence of risk factors, revealed that illiteracy, unemployment, lack of access to safe drinking water, absence of sanitary latrine, working mother, low income, low birth weight, as well as inadequate weight gain during a period of 3 months, repeated infections, short birth interval between two children, birth order of four and above, late initiation of breast feeding, and late introduction of supplementary food, weaning problems and nature of caretakers were all found to have significant negative impact on nutritional status of the subjects under focus. Based on t he genera 1 observations of the study the nutritional status of these selected infants and toddlers were found to be poor. To improve the nutri t ional status it is essential to improve the dietary practices as well as the socio economic and living conditions of the families to which the subjects belong, through constant motivation, education and monitoring.
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171697
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