1Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Sree Siddhartha Medical College, Agalakote, Tumkur, Karnataka
2Associate Professor, Department of Community Health, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka
*Corresponding author: Shailendra Kumar B Hegde, Department of Community Health, First Floor, Robert Koch Bhavan, St. John's Medical College, St.John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Sarjapura Road, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560 034. E-mail Address: Hegde.shailendra@gmail.com, Phone: (080) 2206 5043, Mobile Number: +91-9343385873
Online published on 24 June, 2014.
Anthropometric measurements are integral to monitor the growth of the under five children of the Anganwadi. Under-nutrition, being one of the most common morbidities in the under fives, it was decided to assess the growth pattern of children attending 7 anganwadis in 6 villages situated in our field practice area.
To assess the growth pattern of Under-five children attending the Anganwadis in 6 villages in our field practice area.
Study area-7 Anganwadis in 6 villages, under Sarjapura PHC area in Anekal taluk; Study period-July 2003 to July 2007; Study population-children in the age group of 2 to 5 years attending Anganwadi; Study design-longitudinal study; Instruments-A standard measuring tape, ‘Salter and Harris’ weighing scale;
Weight and height of each child was taken at monthly intervals. Quarterly anthropometric measurement of all children was considered for analysis. Inclusion criteria: Children between 2 to 5 years of age, who had at least 2 readings in our quarterly measurements in 1 year, were included in the study.
Out of the 403 children examined, 203 children (98 males and 105 females) fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The quarterly mean weights (in kgs) were calculated and 76.9% of these mean recordings were within normal limits. The quarterly mean heights (in cms) were calculated and it was found that all the mean heights were lower than 95% of the expected. Similarly, quarterly weights and heights for caste and gender were obtained and analysed. However, no significant difference was seen for these two categories.
The mean heights of the children in this study were lower than the expected under the IAP classification; while that for weight, was within normal limits for most of the children.
Longitudinal Study, Under-Nutrition; Anthropometry, Weight, Height
