Undernutrition among under-five children in Western Maharashtra

Abstract

Background: Undernutrition in under-five children still remains a major public health problem. Most of the under-five deaths are due to undernutrition, putting the child at more risk of catching common infections. The contributing factors for undernutrition may differ from one region to another. Aim: The aim of this study was to study undernutrition in rural under-fives. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was carried out. The study included 307 under-five children from a rural area of western Maharashtra. Information was collected on pretested semi-structured questionnaire after taking informed consent. The anthropological measurements were taken by standard methods. The statistical tests were performed and 5% level significance was taken for analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using software: WHO Anthro3.2.2, SPSS 26, and Epi Info v7.2.4.0. Results: More than half of the under-five children (56.3%) were found to be undernourished. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was found to be 33.5%, 35.5%, and 12.4%, respectively. Logistic regression performed showed prelacteal feed, colostrum, BPL cardholder status, and per capita income to be significantly associated with undernutrition. Conclusions: Undernutrition still persists to be a major public health concern in rural areas. Most of the determinants of undernutrition are modifiable. The preventive and remedial measures should be an ongoing process to combat this problem.