Correlates of childhood undernutrition: a cross-sectional study from an underserved area of eastern part of India

Background: Undernutrition, comprising of underweight, wasting and stunting are pose significant public health problem globally with highest prevalence in India among Southern Asian region of UNICEF. Nearly 1/3rd of slum dweller children have been found to have one or multiple forms of growth failures in eastern part of India. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children <10 years in a tribal village by house-to-house surveying for 2 months with questionnaire containing socio-demographic information, history on illness, nutrition, immunization, anthropometric measurements with expressing any failure in Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF). Following the survey health check-up camps were organized and nutritional supplementation is being given to children. Results: Out of total 43 children, 90.7% were found to have single or multiple forms of anthropometric failures. In binary logistic regression, parental education to illiterate or just literate, deprivation of child from exclusive breastfeeding, non-maintenance of minimum dietary diversity, frequent illness and reduction of feed during illness were found to have significant association with anthropometric failure. On clinical examination in health camps, children were detected to have various respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatological diseases. Conclusions: In agency of local health care providers, initiatives are needed targeting this underserved population to bring them under government-led schemes to combat childhood undernutrition.