Intrafamily differences in nutritional status of preschool children

Abstract

Studies on intra-family differences in nutritional status in under-five siblings reported that prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting were higher in the elder sibling. A mixed longitudinal study was taken up to document changes in anthropometric indicators with increasing age in pre-school children and to assess whether the observed differences in nutritional status between the two under-five siblings were due to changes in anthropometric indices with increasing age.The study was undertaken in three groups of children from urban low middle-income families: Group A (cross-sectional data), Group B (paired data of the siblings, one in the 0-23 months and the other, in the 24-59 month age group), and Group C (first measurement in the 0-23 month age and the second measurement in the 24-59 month age in the same child). Changes in anthropometric indices and nutritional status in relation to age were computed in all three groups and compared.There was an increase in stunting and underweight, and a decrease in wasting rates with increasing age in Groups A, B, and C. The trend and magnitude of change in nutritional status were similar in Groups A, B and C.Intra-family differences in the nutritional status of under-five siblings were due to the changes in nutritional status with increase in age. Interventions focussed on growth monitoring, early detection and effective management of growth faltering may reduce the deterioration in nutritional status with increasing age in children.