PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG DALIT SCHOOL CHILDREN: A CASE STUDY OF TUMKUR CITY

Abstract

Malnutrition is one of the major public health problems in developing countries. Growing children at particular ages were the most vulnerable to its consequences. Children are the future citizens and are the potential assets of any country. Proper nutrition is the fundamental right of every child for the maintenance of good health. A proper diet is essential from an early stage of life as well as each stage of life. The health status of school children is associated with proper physical development, intellectual capacity, and access to health care. Malnutrition at the early phase among children affects their physical, and intellectual development (Sanjay Rode, 2015). The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among 107 school children of Primary School in Tumkur taluk of Tumkur district in Karnataka state. Children were selected aged between 5 to 16 years. The main objective of the study is to know the prevalence of malnutrition status among Dalit children and the impact of the socio-economic conditions on their nutritional status. Data includes Anthropometric measurement according to Gomez classification of malnutrition based on standard height for age and weight for height, and clinical assessment of anemia status of the children with the help of Ayush medical officer. The data was analyzed by using a simple statistical method. The majority of the government school children belong to poor households and the Prevalence level of malnutrition is high among these Dalit children.