Exploratory study to assess the prevalence and degree of malnutrition among children

Childhood malnutrition is a massive crisis caused by a combination of factors including inadequate or inappropriate food intake. Childhood diseases, harmful child care practices, improper care during illness all contributes to poor health and millions of death annually.

Aims of the study to explore the prevalence and degree of malnutrition among children of selected area, Jalandhar, Punjab.

An exploratory non-experimental research approach was used for study to accomplish the objectives of the study to assess the prevalence and degree of malnutrition among under five year children. The sample of study was comprised of 100 children under five years of age and convenient sampling was used. standardized tool given by Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

There is role of mother's educational status on the degree of malnutrition among children. Most of mothers who are less qualified or illiterate, were having less knowledge about normal growth and development pattern of children and factors affecting nutritional status of children. The families that had more than two siblings and living in joint family had maximum number of malnourished children.

It is concluded that more than half of children (57%) were malnourished irrespective of degree of malnutrition. Maximum number of children (43.8) has 1^st degree of malnutrition followed by 2^nd degree of malnutrition (35%).