Nutritional Status of Children in Cuddalore District Tamilnadu

Child nutritional status is an essential component of a country's overall human development. Malnutrition in children is the consequence of a range of factors which are often related to insufficient food intake, poor food quality, and severe and repeated infectious diseases.

120 school going children comprising 60 boys and 60 girls in the age group of 3–15 years was undertaken. Applying random sampling method; the children are selected from the primary school of Palvathunnan village, Cuddalore district. Relevant data were collected with respect to, children coming from different income groups Using standard procedures of body mass index were recorded. The study samples compared by National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS).

60%, 34%, 4% and 2% as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese respectively. Percentage of underweight was higher in girls than boys.

Awareness about balanced diet, improvement in the level of education and socioeconomic conditions, easy access to health facilities and prevention of the gender discrimination, are the remedial measures to be taken to redress the situation.