~ 2509 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(1): 2509-2514 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2019; 7(1): 2509-2514 © 2019 IJCS Received: 14-11-2018 Accepted: 18-12-2018 Sukhdeep Kaur Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Kiran Bains Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Harpreet Kaur Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Correspondence Sukhdeep Kaur Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Study of morbidity status of school-children from different cultural regions of Punjab, India Sukhdeep Kaur, Kiran Bains and Harpreet Kaur Abstract The study aimed to assess the morbidity status of school-children (11-17 years) from different cultural regions of Punjab (N=1050); namely, Majha (n=210), Doaba (n=210) and Malwa (n=630). A school- based cross-sectional survey was conducted in rural and urban government schools of Punjab, between January and June 2016. Thirty-cluster multistage sampling technique was used. Information on any morbidity suffered by the subjects such as gastrointestinal problems (stomach infections, diarrhea), upper respiratory tract infections (cold, cough, sore throat) and fevers (malaria, typhoid, jaundice), was obtained using a questionnaire. Incidence of upper respiratory tract infections and fevers was found to be highest among children from Doaba region; whereas, stomach infections and diarrhea were more prevalent among children from Malwa region. Overall from Punjab, most of the children had upper respiratory tract infections (66%) followed by fevers and stomach infections (22% each); while, least incidences of diarrhea (18%) were reported. The study emphasized the need to prioritize the assessment of infectious diseases with simultaneous evaluation of different methods of nutritional management, which would prevent the severe morbidity and mortality among children. Keywords: Morbidity status, infections, school-children, regions, Punjab Introduction Water, sanitation and hygiene are imperative for health, welfare and sustenance. In developing nations, inadequate or unsafe water, poor sanitation and contaminated food have increased the probability of infectious diseases that can hamper nutrient absorption and diminish appetite, substantially contributing to stunting and other forms of malnutrition [1, 2] . According to WHO, fifty percent of the health burden of malnutrition was attributable to the environment, particularly to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene [3] . On the other hand, increased access and better services lead to higher levels of school performance and improved economic productivity. Thus, ensuring that all individuals have equal access to food, health and education is not just a moral objective, these are human rights that need to be integrated with proper hygiene education and promotion [4] . Despite the overwhelming importance of sanitation and hygiene, yet in developing countries, large number of people, especially those who are poor do not have these basic human rights. In India, there is a high prevalence of water and sanitation related diseases, which cause many people, especially children to fall sick and die [5] . Prospective studies on growth and morbidity associated with nutritional status of children have identified certain infections which are particularly important as causes of poor growth and malnutrition, such as diarrhea, intestinal infestation, respiratory infections and malaria. Consumption of unsafe water, inadequately protected water sources, inappropriate waste disposal and unhygienic conditions around homes has significant implication for spreading infectious and preventable diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis and especially diarrhea [6] . Diarrheal diseases and poor dietary intakes are the principal causes of growth failure in early childhood, which proves that environmental factors like poverty, and not genetic or racial ancestry, account for most of the differences in growth between populations [1] . Parasitic infections, such as soil transmitted helminths (worms), caused by a lack of sanitation and hygiene, infect around 2 billion people globally, while an estimated 4.5 billion people are at risk of infection. Such infections can lead to anemia and reduced physical and cognitive development [7] . The impact of repeated or persistent diarrhea on nutrition-related poverty and the effect of malnutrition on susceptibility to infectious diarrhea are reinforcing elements of the same vicious circle, especially amongst children in developing countries. Malnutrition, infection and