A comparative study on Nutritional status of Preschool children in Kekirawa Divisional Secretariat area and Gampaha Divisional Secretariat area in Sri Lanka

Full text: Nutritional status is one of the most important indicators of the overall well being of population. According to Ayurveda Wellbeing of Physical, Mental & Spiritual status is known as health. This refers the definition of health defined by World Health Organization (WHO). Underweight, Stunting, Wasting and Overweight are important status of nutrition declared by the WHO. Height for age ≤ -2SD from the mean, Weight for height ≤ -2SD from the mean and Weight for age ≤ -2SD were defined as Stunting, Wasting and Underweight respectively. Results of a Survey carried out in 2007 in Sri Lanka were highlighted that, 21.1% are underweight, 14.7% were wasting and 17.3% were stunting among the under five year children. Under nutrition has been identified as a major problem among the preschool children in Sri Lanka. With this background, a preliminary survey was designed to identify the nutritional status of selected areas. Collecting Anthropometric measurements such as height & weight and evaluating the nutritional status of Preschool children were the objectives of the study. The study was carried out in the Kekirawa divisional secretariat division of the Anuradhapura district and Gampaha divisional secretariat division of the Gampaha district. Five preschools in Kekirawa division and two preschools in Gampaha division were randomly selected and 100 preschool children from each division were subjected to the survey. Under the permission of Preschool teachers, mothers of the Preschool children's were instructed to meet Ayurveda Medical Officer in scheduled date with their children to take anthropometric measurements. Then heights and weight of children were measured using Stadiometer and scale with digital display. Recorded data were processed using WHO Anthro software - 2011. Age distribution of the sample was identified as 36-47 months and 48-60 months. Results of Prevalence of nutritional status revealed that 32.4% wasting, 24.5% stunting and 42.3% underweight among the served preschool children in Kekirawa divisional secretariat division and 14.4% wasting, 3.1% stunting and 8.2% underweight among the served preschool children in Gampaha divisional secretariat division. According to the survey prevelence of undernutrition was assesed as severly wasted, wasted, severly stunted, stunted and severly under weight, under weight. In Kekirawa Divisional Secretariat area, Male wasting status was 4% ≤ -3SD, 26% ≤ -2SD, Stunting status was 8% ≤ -3SD, 26% ≤ -2SD and Underweight status was 10% ≤ -3SD, 30% ≤ -2SD. Female wasting status is containing 0% ≤ -3SD, 29.2% ≤ - 2SD , Stunting status is 2.1% ≤ -3SD, 16.7% ≤ -2SD and Underweight status is 8.3% ≤ -3SD, 31.3% ≤ -2SD. In Gampaha Divisional Secretariat area, Male wasting status was 0% ≤ -3SD, 11.1% ≤ -2SD, Stunting status was 0% ≤ -3SD, 4.4% ≤ -2SD and Underweight status was 0% ≤ -3SD, 4.4% ≤ -2SD. Female wasting status is containing 1.9% ≤ -3SD, 15.4% ≤ - 2SD, Stunting status is 0% ≤ -3SD, 1.9% ≤ -2SD and Underweight status is 0% ≤ -3SD, 11.5% ≤ -2SD. (author)