Abstract :
Introduction: Children under five years constitute the most vulnerable segment of a country. Their nutritional status and mortality rate is a sensitive indicator of community health and nutrition. Globally more than half of the under- five deaths are attributable to under nutrition. Aim & Objective: To estimate the risk factors and prevalence of malnutrition (defined as per WHO) among the subjects & to study the socio-demographic profile of the children between 6 months to 5 years in the slum area of Jobra, an Urban Slum of Cuttack. Materials and Methods: This community based cross-sectional study with descriptive elements has been carried out in the registered slums under Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) area of the Cuttack city under UPHC Brajarambha and UHTC, Department of Community Medicine, SCBMCH from January 2021to December 22. Result: 61.6% of children had a deficient protein intake with 18.8% having more than 30% deficiency and 23.8% with 20-30% deficiency. 53.9% of children had a deficient calorie intake with 11.6% having more than 30% deficiency and 21% with 20-30% deficiency. Only 2.8 percent children had not received any vaccination. 12.4% of children used open well water for drinking. 18.5% of the study population practiced Open Air Defecation (OAD) whereas the rest had access to either community toilet or had their own toilet. Conclusion: Dietary deficiency (both calorie and protein) are significantly associated with all parameters of malnutrition considered for the study. Apart from nutrition, factors are sanitary habits, drinking water source and socio-economic status are significantly associated with malnutrition. Recommendation: People must be encouraged to use toilets at home and must train their children the same. Open Well water, if used, must be covered and water should be boiled before drinking. Left out children must be reached and explained regarding the risks of diseases if the child remains un-immunized.
Keyword :
Malnutrition, Risk factor, Prevalence, Under five