NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN AT TWO ISLANDS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status and associated factors of preschool children at Hatiya and Sandwip Island under Noakhali and Chattogram district in Bangladesh respectively. A community based cross sectional study was carried out in this study. A total of four hundred and forty eight preschool children comprising 236 male and 212 female from Sandwip and Hatiya Island were participated in this study. A pre-prepared questionnaire was used to find out the association among various factors with nutritional status. Z-score of weight for age (underweight), height for age (stunting) and weight for height (wasting) were used to analyze the nutritional status of pre-school children. This study showed that about 39.3% of the children were underweight and also informed that underweight was significantly associated with child’s age group, sex, mother’s nutritional status, mother’s education, mother’s occupation, mother’s anemic condition, birth order of children, diarrhea, pneumonia, worm infestation, supplementation of food and immunization status of children. About 20.5% of the children were wasted and it was significantly associated with only child’s age group and about 45.5% of the children were stunted and also informed that stunting was significantly associated with child’s age group, sex, diarrhea, mother’s nutritional status and mother’s anemic condition. This study concludes that underweight among under 5 years of aged children is influenced by multiple factors and a multi-sectoral approach is required to improve the nutritional status of children at islands of Bangladesh. Not only nutrition specific intervention but also nutrition sensitive approaches i.e. women empowerment, agriculture, education, social protection and safety net are required to reduce the burden of child undernutrition.