Abstract
Introduction: Undernutrition is a major health problem in developing countries which may have adverse effects on growth and development of an individual. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and grades of malnutrition in children below 60 months of age, attending outpatient department at Gandaki Medical College teaching hospital.Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted among 556 children below 60 months of age from August to December 2013. Weight and length/height were measured using standard technique and were plotted on WHO centiles curves and severity determined based on WHO classification. The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting were determined by anthropometry.Results: Based on WHO classification, out of 556 children, 20.2% were underweight, 34% were stunted and 15.1% were wasted respectively. Of them, severe underweight were 4.7%, severe stunted were 14.1% and severe wasted were 7.2% respectively.Conclusion: A high prevalence of undernutrition exists in under- five children attending a tertiary hospital in a western region of Nepal.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v34i2.10566J Nepal Paediatr Soc 2014;34(2):119-124
Highlights
Undernutrition is a major health problem in developing countries which may have adverse effects on growth and development of an individual
World Health Organiza on (WHO) es mated globally of around 6.6 million under five children died in the year 2012
This was a prospec ve study conducted among the 556 children below 60 months of age a ending out-pa ent department at Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital, Pokhara from August 2013 to December 2013
Summary
Undernutrition is a major health problem in developing countries which may have adverse effects on growth and development of an individual. Results: Based on WHO classification, out of 556 children, 20.2% were underweight, 34% were stunted and 15.1% were wasted respectively. Under nutri on is a major global public problem in the developing countries It directly or indirectly affects many aspects of the child’s health which may have adverse effects on growth and development and the child’s ability to learn and process informa on and grow into adults. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011 (NDHS) shows 41% of children below five years of age are stunted, 29% of the children are underweight and 11% of the children below five years are wasted[2]. Exact data of under nutri on a ending a ter ary hospital of western region of Nepal is not known
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