Human Biology Review (ISSN 22774424) 8(1) 2019 Human Biology Review Original scientific paper (Khanra et al., pp. 66-76) www.humanbiologyjournal.com Modified and Accepted on January 10, 2019 66 Nutritional Assessment by Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure among School Going Children of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India P. Khanra 1 , S. Biswas 2 and K. Bose* 3 Citation: Khanra P, Biswas S and Bose K. 2019. Nutritional Assessment by Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure among School Going Children of Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Human Biology Review, 8 (1), 66-76. 1 Pikli Khanra, Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore – 721 102, West Bengal, INDIA. Email: pikli2011@gmail.com 2 Dr. Sadaruddin Biswas, Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, P.O. – Purulia Sainik School, Ranchi Road, Purulia -723104, West Bengal. Email: sadarbiswas@gmail.com 3 Prof. Kaushik Bose, Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore – 721 102, West Bengal, INDIA. Email: kaushikbose@cantab.net. *Corresponding author: Prof. Kaushik Bose, Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore – 721 102, West Bengal, INDIA. Email: kaushikbose@cantab.net ABSTRACT: Aim: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of undernutrition among Bengalee children of Purba Medinipur. Stunting, wasting and underweight were used to assess the prevalence of under- nutrition among children. However, these indices were not properly determined appropriate prevalence due to overlapping condition, but Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) is a single measure to assess the prevalence of under-nutrition which is better than other indices for the determination of undernutrition among children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among school going Bengalee children of Desopran block and Haldia municipality of Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. Total no. of participants were 622 aged 6 to 10 years. Among them 307 and 315 were boys and girls, respectively. Age and sex specific nutritional status of the subjects was assessed using height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight- for-age as per NCHS guidelines and CIAF (Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure) was also computed as per standard methodology. Results: Boys were taller and heavier than girls. Significant age variations were noticed in anthropometric variables. Prevalence of wasting, stunting and underweight were 21.0%, 31.0%, and 41.9%, respectively. Moreover, prevalence of CIAF was 55.3% among the studied children. Result also revealed that rate of CIAF was much higher than the other three conventional indicators. Conclusion: It can be concluded that undernutrition among the school going children was very high and might be treated as a serious health problem. Appropriate authorities should take immediate remedial measures to reduce the rate of undernutrition. Similar studies should also be conducted from other regions of West Bengal. Keywords: - Children, School, CIAF, Undernutrition, West Bengal, India.