Nutritional Status of Primary School Going Children of Charkhole Village, Kalimgpong, West Bengal

Introduction: Nutritional status in children is an indicator of health and well-being at both theindividual and the population level. Screening for children health status is an integral part of social wellbeing. Nutritional intervention requires repeated measurement of nutritional status to assess severity and to track progress over time. Aims: To assess nutritional status of the participants with reference to their diet habits. To have a comparative analysis of the socio economic background and growth status of the children. Methodology: Methodological issues in the assessment of nutritional status are reviewed with emphasis on anthropometric measurement, body composition, and dietary pattern of children at risk for malnutrition, overnutrition and obesity. Standard anthropometric variables are measured like height weight circumference and skinfold measurement. Results: The findings of the study reveal obesity-1 and overweight children of both sexes in their pre puberty age group. Marginal variations in skinfold and other variables were noticed in the lower age group children among both sexes. Conclusion: Malnourishment among the participants was not found. Age specific height differences were lesser than the weight differences. Obesity among higher age group children indicated dietary significance among the pre adolescents.