Assessment of Undernutrition Among the Under-5 Children in a Slum of Kolkata: A Comparison Between z Scores and the Conventional System. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bandyopadhyay, Sanjib; Das, Saibal; Mondal, Somnath
• Is Part Of: Infant, child & adolescent nutrition. Volume 6:Number 1(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: under-5 children -- undernutrition -- WHO Child Growth Standards -- z score -- IAP system; Children -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; 613.2083
• DOI: 10.1177/1941406413513154
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1941-4064

Abstract

Background . This cross-sectional study was done to assess undernutrition among children under the age of 5 years in a slum of Kolkata (n = 188) and to compare these results with z score and the conventional Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) system. Methods . Data were collected by interviewing the mothers of the children, conducting anthropometric measurements, and using World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16. The chi-square test was used, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. Results . Overall, around 60% children were undernourished (z score < −2 SD). The conventional growth monitoring detected only underweight children, but when the z score system of WHO Child Growth Standards was used, those children were further classified as wasting and stunting. As per the IAP criteria, 104 children were undernourished and 7 were severely undernourished, but by z score, 98 children were undernourished and 29 were severely undernourished. Conclusion . The z score system identified a much higher prevalence of severe undernutrition compared with the IAP system (15.4% vs 3.7%). The conventional use of underweight (low weight for age) instead of z score as the sole criterion for identifying undernourished children may underestimate the true incidence of undernutrition in a community, which might prevent those children from receiving the deserved benefits of nutritional supplementation from different programs. More widespread use of the z score system, especially in community-based studies, may be thus recommended.