Effectiveness of community-based nutritional intervention on growth & nutritional indicators among malnourished children aged 13–60 months in rural Jhajjar, Haryana

Abstract

Introduction:  At the global level malnutrition among under-five children has been given immense priority. Child growth failure measured as stunting (height for age), wasting (weight for height) and underweight (weight for age). This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of community-based intervention on nutritional indicators and ICDS growth chart zones shift in 13-60 months malnourished children in rural area of district Jhajjar, Haryana.

Methods: The study was a community-based cluster randomised experimental study. Out of 177 AWCs in the selected area, 80 children selected from 10 AWCs in the rural field practice area of Pt B D Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak and randomly allocated into 2 groups (5 in each): Intervention and Control group. First, the nutrition educational intervention module (a booklet) was designed for mothers of malnourished children. Second, the intervention was implemented on the intervention group and evaluated in terms of shift in zones as per colour coded ICDS growth charts, nutritional status, calorie and protein intake before and after intervention.

Results: The proportion of children who were in yellow zone decreased from 82.5% to 27.5% (i.e. 55%) in intervention group and 85.0% to 57.5% (i.e. 27.5%) in the control group. The proportion of children who were in red zone decreased from 17.5% to 2.5% (i.e. 15%) in intervention group and 15.0% to 10.0% (i.e.05%) in the control group. This was statistically significant in absolute percentage change.

Conclusion : Child health and nutrition programmes based on health education initiatives promote mother’s nutritional knowledge, child care practices and specific behavioral changes in caregivers which would improve the malnutrition status of children. 37.5% more overall improvement in malnourished children among intervention group occurred relatively as compared to control group.

Keywords: community based intervention, malnourished children, mothers, nutritional educational intervention