Follow-up Assessment of Under-Nourished Children Under Integrated Child Development Services Scheme in Tapi District, India

Abstract

Background: India shares the largest burden of under‑nutrition in world. The aim of this study was to conduct follow‑up assessment of under‑nourished children attending anganwadi center (AWC).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in 50 AWC of Tapi district. Total 529 children aged 1‑6 years diagnosed as under‑nourished before 1 year were included. Pre‑structured questionnaire was used for present day assessment of these children followed by Epi‑info mediated analysis.

Results: Children of literate mothers had higher weight gain. Ninety percent of children attended anganwadi regularly, however 25% of children dropped out for more than 1 month. In 1 year, growth had faltered in 20% children and was stagnant in 63% of them. Children who were treated for under‑nutrition; that completed course at Child Development and Nutrition Center; and whose parents were counseled about the under‑nourished status of child had higher weight gain than their counterparts.

Conclusions: Parents of under‑nourished children must be counseled about the nutritional status of their child. In cases of under‑nourished child, referral to higher center must be ensured by health worker. Supplementary feeding as a long‑term solution to country’s under‑nutrition problem should be studied in detail with the alternative solutions.

Keywords: Anganwadi, follow‑up, nutritional assessment, under‑nourished children