A study on relevance of mid arm circumference measurement among 13-60 months of children at urban field practice area of Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru

Authors

  • Thotakura Praneeth Choudhary House Surgeon, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India
  • K. Chandra Sekhar Department of Community Medicine, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India
  • K. Uma Maheshwara Rao Department of Paediatrics, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India
  • Chandrasekhar Vallepalli Post Graduate Student, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India
  • P. G. Deotale Department of Community Medicine, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India
  • Sandhya Sree Gogineni House Surgeon, Alluri Sita Ramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru-534005, A.P., India

Keywords:

Age, Sex, Occupation, Mid arm circumference, WHO weight standards

Abstract

Background: Protein energy malnutrition commonly seen in 2 to 5 years of age group in developing countries like in India. This could be due to lack of awareness about nutritive value of foods, faulty feeding practices, ignorance plays a major role in the development of Protein malnutrition in early ages of life. This leads to hampering of physical and mental development of the child.Objectives of current study were: 1) To know the prevalence of protein energy malnutrition among 13-60 months of children. 2) To determine relevance of mid arm circumference measurement with WHO standards. 3) To study the demographic variables associated with Protein energy malnutrition.

Methods: The present community based cross sectional study was conducted at urban area of Eluru during the period from Sep 2013 to December 2013. A total of 133 individuals were selected from the field practice area of Alluri Sita Ramaraju academy of medical sciences, Eluru. Results were analyzed and necessary statistical tests like proportions and chi square tests were applied.

Results: Out of 133 individuals, the prevalence of severe malnutrition among 13-60 months children was 7.5%; prevalence of mild to moderate malnutrition was 24%. Among the severe malnutrition individuals, 60% from labourer occupation. Classification of mid arm circumference of 2-5 years children compared with World Health Organization weight standards, 87.9% were shown as normal and 70% matching of results with severe malnutrition individuals.

Conclusion: Based on the above study results, need to give the training to gross root level workers regarding the measurement of arm circumference of children between the age group of 13-60 months children. Still we can consider mid arm circumference is one of the best tool for consideration of protein energy malnutrition detection at the basic level health point and this is cheap, easy and to be detected at early stage of life. 

References

Pedro Sanchez, M. S. Swaminathan, Philip Dobie, Nalan Yuksel. Halving hunger: it can be done. In: Pedro Sanchez, M. S. Swaminathan, Philip Dobie, Nalan Yuksel, eds. UN Millennium Project. New York: Task Force on Hunger; 2005: 1-32.

The Economist. Putting the smallest first, 2010. Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/17090948. Accessed 13 February 2012.

Gopalan C. Nutrition, fertility and reproduction. Proc Nutr Soc India. 1973;14:58.

Tripathi MS, Sharma V. Assessment of nutritional status of pre-schoolers in slum areas of Udaipur city. Indian J Publ Health. 2006;50(1):33-4.

World Health Organization. Child health research: a foundation for improving child health. In: WHO, eds. Global Forum for Health Research. Geneva: WHO; 2002: 3-30.

Briend A, Dykewicz C, Graven K, Mazumder RN, Wojtyniak B, Bennish M. Usefulness of nutritional indices and classifications in predicting death of malnourished children. Br Med J. 1986;293:373-5.

Vella V, Tomkins A, Ndiku J, Marshal T, Cortinovis I. Anthropometry as a predictor for mortality among Ugandan children, allowing for socio-economic variables. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1994;48:189-97.

WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group. WHO child growth standards: length/height-for-age, Weight-for-age, Weight-for-length, Weight-for-height and body mass index-for-age: methods and development. In: WHO, eds. Child Growth Standards. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006: 1-312.

Avachat SS, Phalke VD, Phalke DB. Epidemiological study of malnutrition (under nutrition) among under five children in a section of rural area. Pravara Med Rev. 2009;1(2):20-2.

Gupta VM, Shukla KK. Epidemiological correlates of PEM in pre-school children. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 1992;23(1):27-31.

Dattatraya Dinna Bant. Prevalence of protein energy malnutrition among Aganwadi children’s of Hubli, Karnataka. J Nutr Res. 2013;1(1):11-3.

Verma R, Khanna P, Gaur D, Meena, Prinja S. Assessment of nutritional status and dietary intake of pre-school children in urban pocket. Int J Epidemiol, 2007;6(1):9.

Harisankar, Shraddha Dwivedi, S. B. Dabaral, D. K. Walia. Nutritional status of children under 6 years of age in rural areas of Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2004;35(3&4):156-62.

Ahmed E, Khalil S, Khan Z. Nutritional status in children (1-5 years): a rural study. Indian J Community Health. 2011;23(2):84-6.

Swami HM, Thakur JS, Bhatia SPS, Singh K, Bhan VK, Bhatia V. National immunization day to assess nutritional status of under 5 in Chandigarh. Indian J Paediatr. 2000;67(1):15-7.

Saxena N, Nayer D, Kapil U. Prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting. Indian Paediatrics. 1997;34:627-31.

Joshi HS, Joshi MC, Singh A, Joshi P, Khan NI. Determinants of protein energy malnutrition in 0-6 years children in rural community of Bareilly. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2011;42(2):154-8.

Downloads

Published

2017-02-06

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles