Primary Care Based Interventions are associated with Improvement in Nutritional Status of Children: Evidence from Community Based Study in India

Health is basic requirement of any society to develop and progress. Nutrition has major effects on health. Nutrition refers to the availability of energy and nutrients to the body’s cells in relation to body requirements. Growth and development of any country is reflected by the growth and development of its children. The present community based interventional study was carried to assess impact of health interventions in the form of health and nutritional education on nutritional status of malnourished children. It was conducted during January 2010 to December 2010 at urban slum of Cheetah Community, Mumbai, India. Total of 190 children registered under six Anganwadis were included. The information was gathered by personal interview of mothers using semi-structured questionnaires. Out of 190 children 102 were malnourished which later divided into study/intervention (50 children) and control group (52 children). Health interventions were given only to intervention group for six months. Significant difference was seen between the weight gains by both groups. Similarly, significant improvement in mothers’ knowledge about nutrition was seen after six months of intervention. Thus it was evident from the study that health and nutritional education should be considered as major interventions to reduce the problem of malnutrition.