A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Prevalence and Factors Associated with Malnutrition among Under-Five Children of the Toto Tribal Community
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Abstract
Background: Malnutrition is a due consequence of an imbalance in dietary intake. It can be divided into undernutrition which includes wasting, stunting, being underweight, micronutrient inadequacy, and overnutrition.
Aim: The study aimed to assess the nutritional status and factors associated with malnutrition among under-five children of the Toto tribal community.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Totopara Village of Alipurduar district, W.B from May 2018 to March 2020. One hundred children were selected for the study. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire formed to collect socioeconomic and dietary information. All anthropometrical measurements were performed following standard technique. Data entry was done through MS Excel and for data analysis, SPSS version 20.0 was employed. To identify the factors related to malnutrition logistic regression analysis was applied.
Results: The prevalence of stunting according to WHO 2007 cut-offs among all children was 46.2% with a significant difference between boys and girls (36.4% vs 55.3%) respectively. Overall, 7.9% of all under-five children in the sample population were obese children calculated from BMI-for-age z-scores. The under-five female children were at a 1.6-fold higher risk to be stunted than boys. The children were at 2.9-fold higher risk to be stunted whose mothers had primary or less education. Amongst more than five-member families, the children were at a 2.7-fold higher risk of stunted.
Conclusion: The study concludes that a double burden of malnutrition exists among Toto tribal children at Totopara Village of Alipurduar district, W.B.