Nutrition information is obtained from different malnutrition indicators such as weight-for-height (wasting), height-for-age (stunting) and weight-for-age (underweight) and is available for adults and/or children.
Age, height and weight were used to calculate the anthropometric indices; i.e. stunting (height for age), wasting (weight for height) and underweight (weight for age) through software WHO Anthro [17].
Stunting (height for age) stands at 9.0% and wasting (weight for height) at 2.5%.
According to an estimate, stunting (height for age Z score < -2) and wasting (weight for height Z score < -2) along with intrauterine growth restriction are responsible for about 2.1 million deaths worldwide in children < 5 years of age.
These were height of the child for age (stunting) and body weight for the height (wasting) with reference to the national centre of health statistics (NCHS) standards of growth and development [ 11].
For years, under nutrition - manifested by a child with low height for age (stunting), low weight for age (underweight), low weight for height (wasting), and/or deficient in vitamins or minerals (micronutrient deficiencies) - has been a persistent problem, but one receiving little attention as well as lack of funding.
For years, undernutrition -- manifested by a child with low height for age (stunting), low weight for age (underweight), low weight for height (wasting), and/or deficient in vitamins or minerals (micronutrient deficiencies) -- has been a persistent problem, but one receiving little attention as well as lack of funding.
Nutritional status (z-score for children under-5) was calculated using WHO-anthro 2005 software and malnutrition was defined as WHO guideline as < -2.00 SD [underweight (weight-for-age z-score), stunting (height-for-age z-score), wasting (weight-for-height z-score)] [ 15].
Stunting and wasting (weight for height Z score < -2) along with intrauterine growth restriction are responsible for about 2.1 million deaths worldwide in children < 5 years of age.
According to the 2010 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS), the prevalence of wasting (weight to height ratio) among children under 5 at the national level increased from 6.4 per cent in 2005 to 9.5 per cent in 2010 and stunting (chronic malnutrition) rates among children under 5 increased from 22.4 per cent to 23.4 per cent for the same period.
