Prevalence of undernutrition in slum areas, children of central and north Kolkata, West Bengal: A cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55184/ijpas.v78i01.524Abstract
Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of children residing in slum areas in central and northern Kolkata, West Bengal. Methodology: A total of 507 children from slum areas (264 boys and 243 girls) aged 5 to 10 years were selected from randomly chosen schools in North and Central Kolkata. The nutritional status of these children was assessed using Z-scores based on height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-height (WHZ) reference data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Results: Undernutrition (<-1 z-score) was prevalent among children from slum areas as follows: 45.03% stunted, 58.22% underweight, and 45.82% wasted. Severe undernutrition (z-score <- 3) was identified in the following percentages: 5.87% for stunting, 4.58% for underweight, and 5.78% for wasting. Notably, the prevalence of underweight (62.54%) and wasting (52.9%) was higher among girls than among boys (45.82% underweight and 45.83% wasting). Conclusion: Undernutrition remains a significant issue among children from slum areas in Kolkata, likely due to their poor socioeconomic status.
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