NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF ANGANWADI CHILDREN OF PHANSIDEWA BLOCK OF DARJEELING DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Malnutrition is one of the causes of child's ill health, child mortality and morbidity rate in India. In this study, an attempt was made to find out the nutritional status of children of age group of 1-6 years in the Anganwadi centre and socio demographic profile of the parents' of the children. The cross-sectional study was carried out at Matigara Block of Darjeeling district in West Bengal on March 2016. Anthropometric measurement was taken of 214 children of the 5 randomly selected Anganwadi centres. MUAC of the child was taken between 1 to 5years. A structural questionnaire was used to ask the mother of the children regarding socio economic profile of the parents. The results reveal that by measuring Mid Upper Arm Circumference boys (8.65%) were suffering moderate malnutrition more than the girls (4.55%). Severe wasting was found only in 3-4 years age group. Severe under-weight (33.34%) and severe stunting (30.0%) were highest in the age group of 4-5 years. Boys were also more affected by severe underweight (5.77%) and stunting (6.73%) than girls. Mostly father (66.82%) and mother (63.08%) were educated upto primary to higher secondary. The occupation of 75.23% father were labour and 95.76% mother were either labour or housewife.