A Study on Detection of Protein Energy Malnutrition in 1–5 Years of Age Group and Nutritional Intervention to the Same Age Children in Rural and Urban Field Practice Areas of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa

Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) has been identified as a major public health problem in India and developing countries. It occurs particularly in weaklings and less than five years of children and growing children particularly. During 2000–07, more than 25% of the world's children under the age of 5 years were underweight.

Objectives: 1. To know the prevalence of protein energy malnutrition in rural and urban areas of Kadapa district. 2. To check the nutritional status improvement following anganwadi center food supplementation.

This present community based cohort study was carried out in Rural Health Centre, chennuru and Urban Health Centre area, Akkayapalli area during the year April 2009 to March 2010. Sample size in this study was 503 in rural and urban areas using cluster sampling method and house to house survey conducted. Importance of the study was explained to all the patients and informed consent was taken and diagnostic criteria for protein energy malnutrition was based on mid arm circum ference. Results were analyzed with Microsoft Excel 2007 version and necessary statistical tests were applied.

Out of 503 children in urban and rural areas, Prevalence of PEM in the urban population was 24.2% and prevalence of PEM in rural area was 47.3%. PEM was more in rural female children and statistically significant association was found between female sex and PEM (P<0.05). In the urban study population, before supplementation of food, the prevalence of PEM in urban area was 24.2% with following supplementation of food for 6 months the PEM was 16.3%. In the rural area, before supplementation of food, the prevalence of PEM in rural area was 47.3%, with following supplementation of food the PEM was 40.3%.

The prevalence of Protein energy malnutrition was found to be higher in both urban and rural areas. Nutritional supplementation has impact in the reduction of PEM and this association was statistically significant. So that simple life style modifications and nutritional advice to the mothers can be initiated as early as possible and periodical growth monitoring by anganwadi workers and active participation by mothers also required.