Complicated severe acute malnutrition: anthropometric status from Southern Rajasthan, India

Authors

  • Rupali Jain Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Rameshwar Lal Suman Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Suresh Goyal Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • B. L. Meghwal Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Suresh Kumar Meena Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20172687

Keywords:

Anthropometry, Complicated SAM, Rural and tribal area

Abstract

Background: Childhood under-nutrition is an important public health and development challenge in India. Undernourished children have significantly higher risk of mortality and morbidity. Objective of present study was to identify the anthropometric status of complicated Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Southern Rajasthan, India.

Methods: It was a retrospective study conducted in children admitted at Malnutrition Treatment Centre attached to a tertiary hospital. Basic socio-demographic and anthropometric records of all children between 6 months to 5 years of age were analysed.

Results: Out of the total 1554 SAM children admitted in last two years, 855 (55.01%) were males and 699 (44.98%) were females. Mean weight was 6.17±1.59 kg, mean height was 71.65±8.6 cm and Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) was 10.99±1.53 cm. Among these, 1375 (88.48%) children fulfilled weight for height (WFH) criteria, 919 (59.13%) fulfilled MUAC criteria and 246 (15.83%) had edema. On WFH Zscore analysis, 53% had <-3SD and <-4SD, 19.88% had <-5SD, 9.97% had <-6SD, 3.47% had <-7SD and 1.67% had <-8SD. Also, we observed that lower values of MUAC ranging from <11.5cm to <9cm. MUAC of 11.5-10cm was in 43.43% of children and 15% had MUAC <10cm. Among the children of all age group, we observe that males of 6-24 months of age are more significantly affected as compared to females.

Conclusions: The study highlights the fact that extreme grades of malnutrition exist in our area ranging upto Z-score of -8SD and beyond, and is not limited to -3SD and -4SD. Also, males are the more affected of the two sexes in our rural and tribal area setting. 

Author Biography

Rupali Jain, Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Resident

Depart of Pediatrics

References

Paul VK, Lodha R, Agarwal A. Nutrition. Jain SK. Ghai Essential Pediatrics. 8th ed. CBS Publisher; 2013:95-98.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, 2011. Operational Guidelines on Facility Based Management of Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition. Available from: URL: http://www.cmamforum.org/Pool/Resources/India-Operational-guidelines-facility-based-management-SAM-2011.pdf.

National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 2015-16. Available from: URL: http://rchiips.org/NFHS/pdf/NFHS4/India.pdf

Elizabeth KE. Nutrition and Child Development. 4th ed. Hyderabad: Paras Publishers; 2007.

Banti R. Tribal girl child in Rajasthan. Soc Change. 1995;25(2-3):203-6.

Common childhood infections and gender inequalities: a systematic review. Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Working Paper UNICEF Health Section, Programme Division. March 2015.

Davidson PM, McGrath SJ, Meleis AI, Stern P, DiGiacomo M, Dharmendra T et al. The health of women and girls determines the health and well-being of our modern world: a white paper from the International Council on Women’s Health Issues. Health Care Women Int. 2011;32(10):870-886.

Aprameya HS, Kamath SP, Kini PK, Baliga BS, Shenoy UV, Jain A et al. Socioepidemiological determinants of severe acute malnutrition and effectiveness of nutritional rehabilitation center in its management. Int J Health Allied Sci. 2015;4:148-153.

Sachdeva S, Dewan P, Shah D, Malhotra RK, Gupta P. Mid-upper arm circumference v. weight-for-height Z-score for predicting mortality in hospitalized children under 5 years of age. Public Health Nutr. 2016;19:2513-20.

Downloads

Published

2017-06-21

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles