Causes of under-nutritious condition among chepang children (A study from benighat-rorang rural municipality, Dhading Nepal)

Abstract

Nutrition is the study of food and its relation to health. Nutrition plays an essential part in body growth, development, maintenance and the utilization offood. People need enough food to reach their optimal physical growth and to live a healthy life. Primary malnutrition occurs as a result of an inadequate diet. There are many contributors to malnutrition, including access to food, maternal and child health, personal and environmental risk factors. Even if these root causes are present, poverty, lack of resources, and social, economic and political factors still play a role. Malnutrition is a common problem in Nepal, affecting children’s growth and development. Children who are physically or mentally undernourished are less productive than normal children. Malnutrition in the early years may have an impact on future cognitive development. The concern about why malnutrition is prevalent in marginalized communities is one of Nepal’s current health concerns. Mismanaged resources have caused a severe health crisis in remote areas of the country. The Chepang are among the most underprivileged indigenous ethnic groups with a complete lack of knowledge and awareness, leading to severe malnutrition. This study sought to discover trends in the causes of inadequate health among the Chepang people. A mixed-method approach combining the census sampling method with a cross-sectional study design was used for this study. All significant causes of malnutrition were found to be poverty-stricken rural communities. In this area of study, the principal causes of malnutrition are early marriage; teenage mothers, low birth spacing, inadequate food, poor personal hygiene, early weaning practice, and maximizing money spend on alcohol and smoking.