DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2014/2335 ORIGINAL ARTICLE J of Evolution of Med and Dent Sci/ eISSN- 2278-4802, pISSN- 2278-4748/ Vol. 3/ Issue 14/Apr 07, 2014 Page 3644 NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF RURAL CHILDREN AGED SIX MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS IN VADODARA DISTRICT OF GUJARAT Bhupeshwari Patel 1 , Dulari J. Gandhi 2 HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Bhupeshwari Patel, Dulari J. Gandhi. “Nutritional Status of Rural Children Aged Six Months to Five Years in Vadodara District of Gujarat”. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences 2014; Vol. 3, Issue 14, April 07; Page: 3644-3651, DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2014/2335 ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Under nutrition continues to be a primary cause of ill-health among children in developing countries. The objective was to study Nutritional status of rural children between ages 6 months to 5 years. SETTING AND DESIGN: Our study area was villages of Vadodara District of Gujarat where 250 children were randomly selected aged between 6 months- 5years. METHODS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data was collected by interview, physical examination and then statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate stunting and moderate wasting was 52.8% and 47.2%, severe stunting and wasting was in 15.2% and 19.6% children respectively. There was no significant age wise or sex wise difference statistically in prevalence of under nutrition. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: There are significant number of undernourished children in the study area. Nutrition education and regular growth monitoring are required in long term for combating the same. KEYWORDS: under nutrition, wasting, stunting, WHO classification, nutritional status. INTRODUCTION: Under nutrition continues be a primary cause of ill-health and premature mortality among children in developing countries. In the public imagination, the home of the malnourished child is sub-Saharan Africa. But in reality just over 30% of Africa's children are underweight and the same for South Asia is over 50%. 1 And in Bangladesh and India, the proportion of undernourished children is very significantly higher. 2 In NFHS-3 it has been estimated that in India, 65% i.e. nearly 80 million children under five year of age suffer from varying degree of under nutrition, 46% are moderately to severely underweight (thin for age), 38% are moderately to severely stunted (short for age), and approximately 19% are moderately to severely wasted (thin for height). 3 India ranked 96 out of 119 countries in the global hunger index (GHI) developed by the international food policy and research institute (IFPRI) in 2006, and where child under nutrition is concerned, it stood 117 among 119 countries. 4 In view of this, our investigation assessed the nutritional status of rural children of Vadodara district Age between 6 months to 5 years. MATERIAL METHODS: This was an observational and study Sample size of 250 children was decided after considering the prevalence of malnutrition in India in NFHS-3. Study areas were - Pipariya, Waghodia, Limda, Ishwarpura, Amodar villages in Waghodiataluka of Vadodara district in Gujarat. Here majority of population belonged to the lower socio-economic status, having both literates and illeterates and the chief language spoken was Gujarati. The majority of population was Hindus. All children (male & female) b/w age 6 month to 5 years were included and children with cerebral palsy, congenital malformations, HIV (if screened previously) or with chronic morbidity were excluded. Approval of ethics committee of university was