Pattern of Growth Faltering and Recovery in Under-5 Children in India Using WHO Growth Standards - A Study on First and Third National Family Health Survey.
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Date
2011-11
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Abstract
Objective: To examine the pattern of growth faltering in
preschool children, using World Health Organization
(WHO) growth standards 2006 from the available datasets
of first and third National Family Health Survey (NFHS 1
and 3).
Design: Data-analysis of two large-scale cross-sectional
surveys done at a gap of 15 years.
Setting: General community.
Subjects: Preschool children included in NFHS 1 (n =
37,768) and NFHS 3 (n = 41,306).
Main outcome measures: Weight for age Z-scores
(WAZ), height for age Z scores (HAZ) and weight for height
Z scores (WHZ) based on WHO growth standards for the
first four years of life.
Results: Mean WAZ score at ‘0’ month during first and
third surveys were -1.15 (n=268) and -0.76 (n=184),
respectively. Of the total growth faltering in weight for age Z
(WAZ) score by the end of third year, 55% and 44% of the
growth faltering was already present at birth for the first
and third survey, respectively. There was no change in
weight for height Z (WHZ) score for the first three years
during both the surveys.
Conclusions: A good part of the total growth faltering in
India has already taken place at birth. Much of the growth
faltering in early life can be attributed to faltering in HAZ
scores or stunting. Understanding the causal role of
stunting and its prevention as well as improving birth
weight appears to be the key for better efficacy of public
health programs in preventing under-5 malnutrition in
India.
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Keywords
Growth faltering, India, Malnutrition, NFHS, Preschool children
Citation
Mamidi Raja Sriswan, Shidhaye Pallavi, Radhakrishna K V, Babu J J, Reddy P Sudhershan. Pattern of Growth Faltering and Recovery in Under-5 Children in India Using WHO Growth Standards - A Study on First and Third National Family Health Survey. Indian Pediatrics. 2011 November; 48(11): 855-860.