Analyzing the Determinants Influencing the Nutritional Status of Urban Slum Children of Raipur, Chhattisgarh

To explore the determinants influencing the infant and young child feeding practices among 163 under 5 children in urban slums of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. Purposively 4 urban slums from 4 zones of Raipur were made. Pre tested structured questionnaire were used to collect the information related to socio demographic, dietary practices, meal pattern, and physical activity pattern of the children. Comparison of Minimum dietary diversity between the breastfed and non-breastfed infant showed a significant difference at 0.0001 level (highly significant). The study showed that maternal education influences the nutritional status of the children (r =+0.9). The result showed that exclusive breast-feeding among the urban slum children was highly satisfactory (79.7 %). Nutritional status was measured, Weight for Height Z score (WFHZ), showed that 8 % children showed WFHZ score less than less than-3SD, which indicate that more number of severe acute malnourished cases are in urban slums. The result of the study showed that high numbers of mild malnourished cases are residing in urban slums of Raipur. Mild and moderate malnourished cases can be managed at home with proper nutrition, responsive feeding, and adequate hygiene. Mothers can be made aware on this through proper counseling or training.