Nutritional Status and Determinants of Malnutrition of Under Five Years of Age Children in Scattered Settlement of Tehsil Takht Bhai, Mardan, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of the study was to measure the nutritional status of under five years of age children of scattered settlement in Tehsil Takht Bhai.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehsil Takht Bhai. All the children under 5 years of age were included in the study. The study population was the scattered settlements of Tehsil Takht Bhai. All children from 6-60 months were included in the study.Results: Data has showed that 26.7% population was malnourished in Takht Bhai community that was an alarming figure. The prevalence of malnutrition was very high in female as compare to male. In males the prevalence was 28%, while in females the prevalence was almost 42%.There is a positive association between malnutrition and different study variables.Conclusion: It was concluded that nutritional status of under five children was not satisfactory. The association of nutritional status with the mother’s working status shows that the prevalence of malnourished and border line children is very high in children whose mother were working. The prevalence of malnutrition is very high in children whose birth weight was low than those having normal birth weight.