Energy Deficiency and Body Mass Index in Children aged 1–5 years in Slums of Pune

Malnourishment leads to various levels of energy deficiencies. Especially children in growing age of 1–5 years requires balanced diet for their normal growth both physically and mentally. Anthropometric measurements like weight and height were measured of 1020 children (boys-501 and girls-519) in theagegroup of 1–5 years in six slum of Pune city and Body Mass Index was analysed to measure the level of chronic energy deficiencies. The results showed that, 87.45% of the children are in grade-III, followed by 4.90% in grade-II, 3.04% in grade-I, 2.94% in low weight categories. Only 1.66% of children are falling under normal category. The study indicates that, energy deficiencies were more noticed from the 2nd and 3rdyear onwards as the mother stops her breast feeding by then and the child totally depends on external supplement food which infers nutritional insufficiency.