TO STUDY AWARENESS LEVEL AMONG MOTHERS
WITH REFERENCE TO FOOD PATTERN AND NUTRITIONAL
STATUS OF THEIR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN GWALIOR CITY
Charu Katare*, Veena Shrivastava**, Shailja Jain***, Manju Dubey****
ABSTRACT
A proper and balanced synchronization between child rearing practices and nutritional status of the child can alter the direction of child's growth and development trajectory. A child's growth and development is linked to women because of natural affection and emotional bond between the child and the mother and also child's dependency on mother. Keeping this in view the present investigation has been undertaken with objective to study awareness level of mothers with reference to nutritional status and food pattern of their preschool children. Statistical treatment of the data using Chi-square test indicated positive correlation between meal pattern and nutritional status of the preschool children and it was observed that awareness level of mothers had direct influence on health status of the children.
INTRODUCTION
Childhood is the period when mind bodies and personality are being formed, and when temporary deprivation is capable of inflicting lifelong damage and distortion on human development. If a child's early nutrition and health is jeopardized, development is delayed or debilitated, then, over a span of time the child's development follows a downward trajectory. If adequate care, particularly in relation to nutrition, feeding and stimulation is provided during the first three years, there can be some very positive long term outcomes. Mothers are the sculptress-in-chief during the first few formative years whereas the rest life is mostly spent in unfolding the petals that are already there. Keeping this in view an investigation was undertaken to study awareness level among mothers with reference to food pattern and nutritional status of their preschool children in Gwalior city.
OBJECTIVES
The following objectives were laid down for the study :-
1. To assess nutritional status of preschool children.
2. To study food pattern of the children.
3. To assess the level of nutritional awareness in mothers.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A sample of 300 mothers was drawn from various demographic of Gwalior viz. Lashkar, Gwalior and Morar by random sampling. The mothers had at least one child in preschool age (0-5 yrs.).
To assess as to how for the mothers' awareness affects the nutritional status and food pattern of their preschool children, a questionnaire cum interview schedule was administered to the sample. The schedule was tested for reliability by Karl Pearson's product - moment method, and validity by opinion of concerned experts.1
Schedule part (I) contained questions regarding age, education, occupation, income, type of family, caste of the mothers. Part (II) of the schedule served as a tool for assessment of nutritional status which included anthropometric measurements of the children and they were also observed for any signs and symptoms of deficiency. Schedule part (III) was meant to record dietary intake of the children by three day recall method. Part (IV) was used to extract knowledge possessed by mothers regarding nutrition and feeding of children. Appropriate scores were attributed to the responses of the respondents which made precise measurement of the responses possible.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
Nutritional status is the condition of health of the individual as influenced by the utilization of nutrients.2 When the children were observed for nutritional grade of malnutrition (IAP classification) 55% children were found to be in normal health. 25% children were in grade I. 16.67% children were in grade II. 2.66% children were in nutritional grade III. Grade IV was manifested only by 0.67% female children.
Figure-1
Percent prevalence of Malnutrition
Figure-2 indicate association between pattern of meal consumed in relation to nutritional status. Data in the above figure was anlaysed by chi-square test to find out any association between nutritional status and meal pattern. Chi-square value was calculated to be 57.57242, which was found to be significant at the 0.01 level of significance. This shows that the correlation between meal pattern and nutritional status of the children was highly significant.
Figure-2
PATTERN OF MEAL CONSUMED BY CHILDREN IN RELATION TO
NUTRITIONAL STATUS
Health assessment in a study of preschool-children of urban slum of Varanasi revealed gross deficiency in dietary intake of children.3
Dietary pattern of the family and nutritional status of less than 5 years of age children was studied. Prevalence of malnutrition was 62.97% and prevalence of severe degree of malnutrition was 6.65%, more so among 12-23 months of age and amongst females. Average calorie intake was 2271.7% KCal and nearly half (47.8%) of the studied families were getting less than 2400 KCal.4
Figure-3
AWARENESS IN MOTHERS IN RELATION TO
NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THEIR CHILDREN
Date in figure-3 reveals level of awareness of mothers who had children in normal health and nutritional grade I, II & III respectively. Chi-square was calculated to associate the level of mothers awareness with nutritional status of their preschool children. The value of chi-square obtained was 31.82301, which was found to be significant at 0.01 level of significance. This shows that awareness level in mothers has direct influence on health status of children.
Similar were findings of a study which demonstrated satisfactory growth and development of infants and young children born to well to do and aware mothers and morbidity in these children was also low.5
CONCLUSION
The investigation gave scientific backing to the positive relationship between level of awareness of mothers and nutritional status of their children. The study not only assessed the level of awareness of mothers and helped identifying it as major player among health indices but also raised nutritional awareness of 300 mothers in the sample to a considerable extent by the way of dialogue thus established and thereby affecting the future of the nutritional status of their children.
References :
1. Singh, A.K. – Tests, measurements and research methods in behavioural science. Bharti Bhavan Publishers and Distributors, Patna, Carrying out statistical analysis, pp.434.
2. Robinson H. Corine; Marilyn R. Lawler – Normal a therapeutic nutrition, MacMillan Publishing Company Y. Inc. New York, 1982.
3. Mishra, R.N.; Mishra, C.P.; Sen, P.; Singh, T.B. – Nutritional status and dietary intake of preschool children in urban slums of Varanasi, Indian J. Comm. Med. Vol. XXVI, No. 2, 2001.
4. Rey Sandip Kumar et al. –Rapid assessment of nutritional status and dietary pattern in a municipal area, Indian J. Comm. Med., January - March, 2000.
5. Joshi, Neena; Saraswati, B. & Bhavany Belavady – Maternal nutrition, breastfeeding and growth as young children among urban population – A prospective case study, The Ind. J. Nutr. Dietet (2002), 39, 182.
* Asstt. Professor, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
** Retd. Professor & Head, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
*** Asstt. Professor, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
**** Professor & Head, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
WITH REFERENCE TO FOOD PATTERN AND NUTRITIONAL
STATUS OF THEIR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN GWALIOR CITY
Charu Katare*, Veena Shrivastava**, Shailja Jain***, Manju Dubey****
ABSTRACT
A proper and balanced synchronization between child rearing practices and nutritional status of the child can alter the direction of child's growth and development trajectory. A child's growth and development is linked to women because of natural affection and emotional bond between the child and the mother and also child's dependency on mother. Keeping this in view the present investigation has been undertaken with objective to study awareness level of mothers with reference to nutritional status and food pattern of their preschool children. Statistical treatment of the data using Chi-square test indicated positive correlation between meal pattern and nutritional status of the preschool children and it was observed that awareness level of mothers had direct influence on health status of the children.
INTRODUCTION
Childhood is the period when mind bodies and personality are being formed, and when temporary deprivation is capable of inflicting lifelong damage and distortion on human development. If a child's early nutrition and health is jeopardized, development is delayed or debilitated, then, over a span of time the child's development follows a downward trajectory. If adequate care, particularly in relation to nutrition, feeding and stimulation is provided during the first three years, there can be some very positive long term outcomes. Mothers are the sculptress-in-chief during the first few formative years whereas the rest life is mostly spent in unfolding the petals that are already there. Keeping this in view an investigation was undertaken to study awareness level among mothers with reference to food pattern and nutritional status of their preschool children in Gwalior city.
OBJECTIVES
The following objectives were laid down for the study :-
1. To assess nutritional status of preschool children.
2. To study food pattern of the children.
3. To assess the level of nutritional awareness in mothers.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A sample of 300 mothers was drawn from various demographic of Gwalior viz. Lashkar, Gwalior and Morar by random sampling. The mothers had at least one child in preschool age (0-5 yrs.).
To assess as to how for the mothers' awareness affects the nutritional status and food pattern of their preschool children, a questionnaire cum interview schedule was administered to the sample. The schedule was tested for reliability by Karl Pearson's product - moment method, and validity by opinion of concerned experts.1
Schedule part (I) contained questions regarding age, education, occupation, income, type of family, caste of the mothers. Part (II) of the schedule served as a tool for assessment of nutritional status which included anthropometric measurements of the children and they were also observed for any signs and symptoms of deficiency. Schedule part (III) was meant to record dietary intake of the children by three day recall method. Part (IV) was used to extract knowledge possessed by mothers regarding nutrition and feeding of children. Appropriate scores were attributed to the responses of the respondents which made precise measurement of the responses possible.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
Nutritional status is the condition of health of the individual as influenced by the utilization of nutrients.2 When the children were observed for nutritional grade of malnutrition (IAP classification) 55% children were found to be in normal health. 25% children were in grade I. 16.67% children were in grade II. 2.66% children were in nutritional grade III. Grade IV was manifested only by 0.67% female children.
Figure-1
Percent prevalence of Malnutrition
Figure-2 indicate association between pattern of meal consumed in relation to nutritional status. Data in the above figure was anlaysed by chi-square test to find out any association between nutritional status and meal pattern. Chi-square value was calculated to be 57.57242, which was found to be significant at the 0.01 level of significance. This shows that the correlation between meal pattern and nutritional status of the children was highly significant.
Figure-2
PATTERN OF MEAL CONSUMED BY CHILDREN IN RELATION TO
NUTRITIONAL STATUS
Health assessment in a study of preschool-children of urban slum of Varanasi revealed gross deficiency in dietary intake of children.3
Dietary pattern of the family and nutritional status of less than 5 years of age children was studied. Prevalence of malnutrition was 62.97% and prevalence of severe degree of malnutrition was 6.65%, more so among 12-23 months of age and amongst females. Average calorie intake was 2271.7% KCal and nearly half (47.8%) of the studied families were getting less than 2400 KCal.4
Figure-3
AWARENESS IN MOTHERS IN RELATION TO
NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THEIR CHILDREN
Date in figure-3 reveals level of awareness of mothers who had children in normal health and nutritional grade I, II & III respectively. Chi-square was calculated to associate the level of mothers awareness with nutritional status of their preschool children. The value of chi-square obtained was 31.82301, which was found to be significant at 0.01 level of significance. This shows that awareness level in mothers has direct influence on health status of children.
Similar were findings of a study which demonstrated satisfactory growth and development of infants and young children born to well to do and aware mothers and morbidity in these children was also low.5
CONCLUSION
The investigation gave scientific backing to the positive relationship between level of awareness of mothers and nutritional status of their children. The study not only assessed the level of awareness of mothers and helped identifying it as major player among health indices but also raised nutritional awareness of 300 mothers in the sample to a considerable extent by the way of dialogue thus established and thereby affecting the future of the nutritional status of their children.
References :
1. Singh, A.K. – Tests, measurements and research methods in behavioural science. Bharti Bhavan Publishers and Distributors, Patna, Carrying out statistical analysis, pp.434.
2. Robinson H. Corine; Marilyn R. Lawler – Normal a therapeutic nutrition, MacMillan Publishing Company Y. Inc. New York, 1982.
3. Mishra, R.N.; Mishra, C.P.; Sen, P.; Singh, T.B. – Nutritional status and dietary intake of preschool children in urban slums of Varanasi, Indian J. Comm. Med. Vol. XXVI, No. 2, 2001.
4. Rey Sandip Kumar et al. –Rapid assessment of nutritional status and dietary pattern in a municipal area, Indian J. Comm. Med., January - March, 2000.
5. Joshi, Neena; Saraswati, B. & Bhavany Belavady – Maternal nutrition, breastfeeding and growth as young children among urban population – A prospective case study, The Ind. J. Nutr. Dietet (2002), 39, 182.
* Asstt. Professor, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
** Retd. Professor & Head, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
*** Asstt. Professor, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
**** Professor & Head, Deptt. of Home Science, Govt. KRG Girls PG College, Gwalior
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