Nutritional Status of Tribal Children and Adolescents in Rural South India: The Effect of an NGO Delivered Nutritional Programme

作者：Thomas Richard^*; Srinivasan Rohit; Sudarshan Hanumappa

来源：Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 2013, 80(10): 821-825.

DOI：10.1007/s12098-013-1098-4

• Malnutrition
• Adolescence
• Tribal
• Anthropometric
• Indian

To investigate the prevalence of malnutrition using anthropometric measures in a cohort of tribal students attending a school in rural south India. Children attending the school were offered three meals a day during attendance. Analysis of anthropometric data obtained aimed to determine the nutritional effect of the food provided. %26lt;br%26gt;The nutritional status of 409 students were assessed by comparing anthropometric measurements to reference values according to WHO/NCHS guidelines. Height for age %26lt; 3rd percentile was defined as stunting. BMI for age %26lt; 5th percentile was defined as thinness. %26apos;New%26apos; students were defined as attending the school for %26lt; 1 y. %26apos;Old%26apos; students were defined as being in attendance for a parts per thousand yen1 y. Comparison of thinness and stunting prevalence in these groups enabled evaluation of the meals provided by the organisation. %26lt;br%26gt;Four hundred and nine students were included for analysis in the study. The prevalence of thinness was 39.4 %. 59.5 % of %26apos;new%26apos; and 52.9 % of %26apos;old%26apos; students at the school demonstrated thinness. 59.4 % of students were classified as stunted. 73.8 % of %26apos;new%26apos; students and 52.9 % of %26apos;old%26apos; students demonstrated stunting (p 0.091). Significantly (p 0.010) more %26apos;new%26apos; female students had stunted growth. %26lt;br%26gt;Acute and chronic measures of malnutrition were high amongst adolescent students attending the school. Comparison of %26apos;new%26apos; and %26apos;old%26apos; adolescent pupils at the school hints that the %26apos;old%26apos; students were less malnourished than their %26apos;new%26apos; counterparts. This study demonstrates the importance for NGOs to develop their nutritional programmes with a special focus on adolescents.

• 出版日期2013-10