Impact of Intervention on Nutritional Status of Under-Fives in Tribal Blocks of Palghar District in Maharashtra, India
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Date
2022-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer – Medknow
Abstract
Background: There is a need to improve their nutritional status of under?five children through specific targeted interventions. The present study discusses the impact of intervention on nutritional status among under?five children in Palghar district from Maharashtra. Objective: The objective is to improve the nutritional status of under?five children by implementing multi?component health and nutrition education intervention, focusing on dietary counseling and modification keeping in view the cultural and socio?economic status of population. Methods: A prospective pre? and post?intervention study was conducted in two tribal blocks. Total 480 under?five children were included in pre? and post?intervention survey each. Results: Exclusive breastfeeding rates improved from 48.9% to 50.5% and initiation of complementary feeding at 6 months improved from 48.3% to 72.5% in post intervention survey as compared to preintervention survey. Among other Infant and Young Child Feeding indicators, Minimum Meal Frequency increased significantly to 67.03% from 5.91% and minimum acceptable diet improved from 5.37% to 47.2% in post intervention survey. The prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) reduced from 5.4% to nil whereas severe stunting and underweight significantly decreased by 17% and 8% respectively in post intervention survey. Severe anemia decreased from 16.24% to nil post intervention. Conclusion: The study reveals a substantial improvement in timely initiation of complementary feeds, nil cases of SAM, stunting, and underweight along with severe anemia in postintervention phase. This highlights the impact of multicomponent health and nutrition education interventions which may be adapted at a programmatic level to reduce child mortality and morbidity in India.
Description
Keywords
feeding practices, malnutrition, under?five children, undernutrition
Citation
Surve Suchitra, Kulkarni Ragini, Patil Sagar, Sankhe Lalit, ICMR Co-ordinating group. Impact of Intervention on Nutritional Status of Under-Fives in Tribal Blocks of Palghar District in Maharashtra, India. Indian Journal of Public Health. 2022 Jun; 66(2): 159-165