International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 Impact Factor (2018): 7.426 Volume 8 Issue 1, January 2019 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Association between Parent’s Social Status on Longitudinal Weight Gain of Santal Early Preschool Children of Jhargram District, West Bengal, India Anirban Samanta 1 and Samiran Bisai 2 1 Research Coordinator, Cultural Research Institute, BCW & TD Department, Government of West Bengal, India 2 Deputy Director, Cultural Research Institute, BCW & TD Department, Government of West Bengal, India Abstract: Background : An early childhood growth pattern is an important parameter of well-being in both developed and developing countries. Child growth is influenced by multiple biological and social cultural factors. The parent’s education and occupati onal status are as an important role in the early stages of child growth and development. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of parent’s education and occupational status on child's growth pattern. Methods : This longitudinal study was conducted in tribal areas of the Jhargram district of West Bengal, India, during 2012 to 2015. Weight of each child aged 1month to 47 months was measured and recorded by trained staff, using baby weighing scale to the nearest 0.5 kg. All information was collected by using a structured schedule through one to one interview. Child percentile growth was calculated based on recent WHO child growth standard. Weight velocity and individual average weight gain were calculated based on standard method. Results : A total of 179 Santal preschool children was included in this study. The proportion of children with weight increment under the 25 th percentile was 16 % for boys and 29% for girls. In terms of parent’s education, the weight increment of a higher proportion of children (above 30%) was under the 25 th percentile, if the parents were illiterate, compared with about 16% when the parents were literate (P < 0.05). Earning mothers had a significantly lower proportion of children with weight gain below the 25 th percentile compared to mothers who were non-earning with father secondary employed had a lower proportion of children (22%) with weight increment under the 25 th percentile than fathers primary sector employment. Conclusions : Low weight increments of tribal children are strongly associated with the parent’s low education,and non- earning mothers. More well-designed studies with a larger augmentation and longer follow-up are needed to validate the present outcome. Keywords: Longitudinal growth, Santal, Education, Employment, India 1. Introduction Children are the future of society and mothers are guardian of that future.So women have to play multiple roles and their time limits are so severe that their involvement in income generating activity results in reduced time devoted to their children which in turn adversely effectson child health. Hence, to ensure sound foundation and secure future of any society, health and nutrition of their children need protection. Children in the preschool stage require more attention, as this is the period of rapid growth and development, which makes them highly vulnerable to malnutrition. Malnutrition in this stage has far reaching consequences on a child’s future by severely effecting child’s physical and mental development (1). During preschool period child is mostly dependent on mother for all their nutritional needs. Hence it is argued that the mother being the major care provider for the child during the preschool period, her status in the family may have bearing on nutritional status of her child (2).A study conducted among Lodha children in West Bengal reported a positive association between literacy status and child underweight (3). The study also found an illiterate mother had 2.8, 2.4 and 1.7 times more chance to developed child malnutrition. The aim of this study was to explore the association between parents’ education and employment status on the longitudinal weight growth of their children less than4 years, attending at different ICDS centers in the Jhargram district of West Bengal, India. 2. Material & Methods This longitudinal study was carried out during 2012 to 2015 in 179 randomly selected Santal preschool children and their parents from ICDS center in tribal areas of Nayagram and Gopiballavpur-I blocks in the Jhargram district of West Bengal. Anthropometric measurement of weight of each child was measured and recorded by of Santal children aged one month to 47 th month, by the same trained persons, using baby weighing scale to the nearest 0.5kg. Subsequently, weight was measured one month interval. The sample size varied in different ages because of non attending in monthly follow up. Child percentile growth was calculated based on recent child growth standard(4).Individual average growth increments were calculated as following equation: V (1-47) = 2−1+ 3−2+ 4−3+⋯+ 47−46 47−1 Where, X is the attained weight at ages T, average velocity (V) of the child during one month to 47 th months, can be expressed as weight gain in kilogram month -1 per individual. The calculated data were plotted in bar graphas <25th percentile, 25–75th percentile and >75th percentile, respectively (5). Ethical permission was taken from local authority and the study procedures were described to parents.Information on the parent’s socioeconomic status regarding father and mother’s education and employmentwas collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Parents’ education and Paper ID: ART20194142 10.21275/ART20194142 1199