Abstract

NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF TRIBAL CHILDREN IN ANDHRA PRADESH

Context: Tribes constitute separate socio-cultural groups, having distinct customs, traditions, marriage, kinship, and property inheritance systems. They live largely in agricultural and pre-agricultural level of technology. Their dependency on nature and impoverished economy bear effect on the nutritional status different compared to the general population. Aims: To study the prevalence of malnutrition in the under-five years age group tribal children in the three regions of Andhra Pradesh and compare the same with national statistics. Methods and Material: A cross sectional survey was carried out to assess the nutritional status of under-five age group children in three Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) blocks of Andhra Pradesh. Results & Conclusions: Based on the WHO Child Growth Standards, the prevalence of malnutrition was lower in the AP tribal blocks than the national averages among tribal populations, but higher than the overall national and state averages.

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