Nutritional status of 3 to 14 years school children in Itahari, Sunsari

Abstract

The study on the Nutritional Status of Children 3 to 14 Years in Itahari, Sunsari Nepal has been carried out using primary data obtained from 300 students of two private boarding schools and one public government school in Itahari-5, Sub Metropolitan City, Ward No. 5, Sunsari District. The main objectives of the research are to examine the social, economic, and demographic conditions and the challenges related to child nutrition in urban areas. To evaluate the current status of children's nutrition, the researcher collected data through interviews and analyzed it descriptively. Findings and conclusions were drawn, and the research recommended and suggested points for improvement. The first part deals with the introduction of the title and its theoretical background. The second part reviews the related literature of relevant work. The third part details the methodology of the study. The fourth part deals with the analysis and interpretation of data, summary, and findings. The fifth part deals with the conclusion and recommendations in this research, 210 students were from private schools, among them 115 girls and 95 boys. The age groups were as follows: 3-8 years (26.19%), 9-11 years (33.33%), and 12-14 years (40.48%). Similarly, 90 respondents were taken from one public school, including 39 girls and 51 boys. The age groups were: 3-8 years (27.18%), 9-11 years (37.77%), and 12-14 years (34.45%). Among the 300 respondents, 97.61% of parents were literate, whereas 2.39% were illiterate. Out of 300 respondents, 43.33% of parents had a monthly income range between Rs. 20,000-50,000, nearly 19% had Rs. 10,000- 20,000, 29% had more than Rs. 50,000, and 8.33% had below Rs. 10,000.Among the 300 children, 3.15% suffered from mild obesity. Immunization coverage for the six killer diseases in children under one year of age was 100%. All children were involved in vitamin A supplementation and deworming medication programs. Among the 210 children in private schools, 19% exhibited mild to moderate malnutrition. Among the 90 children in public schools, 32.23% were in the range of mild to moderate malnutrition, while the rest exhibited satisfactory nutritional status. Finally, it is better to educate the mothers and guardians about nutritional knowledge for their children.