Nutritional status of school children in rural and urban areas of Bikaner, West Rajasthan

Evaluation and Comparison of Nutritional Status According to Area of Residence and Type of Institute, its Effect on Plaque and Gingival Status: A Comparative Longitudinal Study

Need of the study

Schoolchildren constitute about 113.8 million (2000-2001 census) population of India and around 11,413,000 comprises schoolchildren in Rajasthan (2000-2001 census), with overall 2.4% children suffering from dietary inadequacies. In the causation of nutritional deficiency diseases, dietary inadequacies have been considered a predominant etiological factor. To overcome such dietary problems and initiate any programs for improvement in general and oral health status, the present study was undertaken in the form of a dietary record of five consecutive days among schoolchildren belonging to different geographical areas.

Aim

To evaluate and compare nutritional status according to area of residence and type of institution and its possible effect on plaque and gingival status among 12-15-year-old schoolchildren of Jaipur.

Materials and methods

The list of schools was collected using simple random technique in both rural and urban areas of Jaipur city. Overall, four schools were drawn randomly from the selected area (two from government and two from private).

Results

In the urban area, nutrient scores (NS) were higher compared to rural areas, irrespective of the season. In contrast to this, plaque and gingival scores were higher in private schools of rural areas.

Conclusion

There is a need for awareness regarding applied nutrition among schoolchildren, irrespective of the area.

How to cite this article

Gaur AG, Sharma M, Sharma R, et al. Evaluation and Comparison of Nutritional Status According to Area of Residence and Type of Institute, its Effect on Plaque and Gingival Status: A Comparative Longitudinal Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(S-3):S233-S239.

Improved effect of school meals with micronutrient supplementation and deworming

A mid-day meal or school lunch program commenced in Gujarat, India from the sixties. In 1994, it was serving approximately 3 million schoolchildren. In 1994, the program was improved with the addition of a "package" of health inputs, including anthelmintics and micronutrient supplementation of iron and vitamin A, and iodine fortified salt. Tara Consultancy Services (TCS), India, a member of the Partnership of Child Development, Oxford University, evaluated Gujarat's improved midday meal program from 1993 to 1996. The program was implemented by the Commissionerate of the mid-day meal program, part of the government of Gujarat. The cost of the 'health package' in 1994, per child per year was 35 U.S. cents (1 U.S. dollars = Rs.30). The study to evaluate the improved program included the following components: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS: Government officials, teachers, students, parents, and community members participated in focus groups to elicit opinions on the proposed program which were predominantly positive. PROCESS EVALUATION: Logistical delivery defined as the adequacy, timeliness and cost of procurement of the anthelmintic drugs and micronutrients and the cost of this 'health package' per schooler per school year by the pharmaceutical companies was 100%. Efficiency of logistics to the schools, defined as the efficiency and cost of logistical delivery of the 'Health Package' from the State Head Quarters to the District to the Taluka to the School was 100%. Coverage defined as consumption of the 'Health Package' by schooler at least once in the 6-9 months of the school year, as stated by the implementing agency was 94%-100% (urban) and 42%-94% (rural); coverage as stated by the schoolchildren was 71%-79% (urban) and 50%-67% (rural). IMPACT EVALUATION: On average, students who received supplements were 1.1 kg heavier and 1.1 cm taller than those who did not; hemoglobin (Hb) levels were >12 g/dL intestinal parasite prevalence rates dropped from 71% to 39%; prevalence of night blindness and vitamin A deficiency were reduced from 67% to 34%.

LESSON LEARNED

Since 2003, 4 states in India, namely, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu covering approximately 30 million schoolers have adopted the "Gujarat Model."

Anthropometric measurements in rural school children

Anthropometric measurements of 1012 rural school-going children, selected randomly, were performed. There were 776 males and 236 females in the age group of 5-15 years. The values of weight and height were recorded for every child in the study sample. Age and sex break-up was studied and compared with the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) standard. The comparison made separately for boys and girls showed that the values for both sexes and in all age groups were less than the ICMR standard. The majority (83.6%) of the children belonged to the middle and low social class according to the modified Prasad's classification. An inference is, therefore, drawn that rural school children of middle and low socio-economic status are shorter and lighter as compared with even their own counterparts on whom the ICMR values are based. The state of health of school-going children in India is far from satisfactory despite the fact that school health programmes along with other nutritional programmes have been in operation for several decades. School-going children constitute a sizeable section of India's population, i.e. about 27%, which is easily accessible and also receptive. An early and convenient method of assessing nutritional and socio-economic status of growing children is anthropometry. Physical growth, in terms of weight and height, is considered an important parameter reflecting the pattern of growth and development in a community. In the developing countries, the growing children by and large are deprived of good nutrition on account of their poor socio-economic status, ignorance and lack of health promotional facilities. This nutritional deprivation results in relative stunting of growth.