Role of Sociodemographic and Environmental factors on early childhood weight: A Cross-sectional study in rural area

Introduction: The duration between conception and two years of age is important for establishing the foundation of future health and overall well-being. Factors that can affect early child growth include dietary restriction, absolute poverty, feeding patterns, ignorance, parenting, social and cultural practices, poor hygiene and sanitation. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of underweight and the determinants influencing the weight of children aged two months to two years. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural area of Saharanpur using multistage random sampling among 300 children. Data were gathered via a pre-tested structured questionnaire, and analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 27. Results: 23% children were under-weight and 11.7% were severely underweight There was significant association of underweight with sociodemographic factors like children religion, family type, parent education, father’s occupation, parental separation and environmental factors like cross ventilation. Conclusion: The study revealed a concerning burden of underweight and many sociodemographic factors were associated with impaired growth in children.