Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Food intake pattern and nutritional status of preschool children (3-5 Yrs) of Chakma ethnic community

2^nd International Conference and Exhibition on Nutritional Science & Therapy

July 15-17, 2013 Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, USA

Md. Monoarul Haque

Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci

Abstract :

Nutrition among preschool children, especially prevalence of under nutrition affects all dimensions of human development and leads to growth faltering in early life. This study is an attempt to assess food intake pattern and nutritional status of pre- school children of Chakma ethnic community. It was a cross sectional community based study. The subjects were selected purposively and conducted at sadar upazilla of Rangamati. Anthropometric data were collected by standard techniques. Nutritional status was measured using Z score according to WHO classification. χ2 test, independent t test, Pearson?s correlation, Multiple regression and Logistic regression was performed as P<0.05 level of significance. Statistical analyses were performed by appropriate techniques using SPSS windows 11.5. The prevalence of underweight, stunted and wasted children were 23.8%, 25.6% and 14.7% respectively. Significant positive association had been found between child nutritional status and monthly family income, mother education and occupation of parents. Age, sex and family income, mothers education and occupation of father were significantly associated with WAZ and HAZ of the study subjects (P=<0.0001, P=<0.025, P=<0.001 and P=<0.0001, P=<0.003, P=<0.031, P=<0.092, P=<0.008). Most of study subjects took small fish and some traditional food like bashrool, jhijhipoka and pork. Energy, carbohydrate & fat intake was significantly associated with HAZ, WAZ, BAZ and MUACZ. This study revealed that they covered fives food groups for their daily dietary intake especially small fish and their traditional food took regularly. Significant association was also found between child nutritional status and dietary intake of energy, carbohydrate & fat. Malnutrition among Chakma ethnic children in Bangladesh is on a decreasing trend.

Biography :

Md. Monoarul Haque has completed his M.Phil. in Public Health (Community Nutrition) at the age of 28 years from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and he is very much interested to further research in food, health, nutrition, public health problem among different tribal communities in developing countries like Bangladesh.