Risk factors for undernutrition in under-five children living in a migrant populated area of South Delhi

INTRODUCTION: Undernutrition is continuing to be a major public health problem in India. Moreover, India houses more than 30% of the world's stunted children aged under 5 years. There was a paucity of a community-based cross-sectional study on the nutrition of children aged under 5 years in urban Delhi. Therefore, we conducted this study to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and their associated factors in children aged under 5 years in urban South Delhi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the Mehrauli area of South Delhi with a semi-structured questionnaire. Systematic random sampling without replacement was implemented. Informed written consent was sought from the parents of participants. Questions were asked regarding demography and sociocultural factors of the participants. Anthropometry measurements were obtained. Underweight and stunting were defined using WHO child growth standards 2006. RESULTS: A total of 520 participants in 695 houses were contacted and interviewed. Prevalence of underweight and stunting were 34.0% and 42.6%, respectively. Sociocultural factors, associated with underweight and stunting, found in current study were fathers' education (with both, P value < 0.05), mothers' education (with both, P value < 0.05), poverty status (with both, P value <0.05), overcrowding (stunting only, P value <0.05), fathers' alcohol abuse (with both, P value < 0.05) and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (stunting only, P value <0.05). RESULTS: A total of 520 participants in 695 houses were contacted and interviewed. Prevalence of underweight and stunting were 34.0% and 42.6%, respectively. Sociocultural factors, associated with underweight and stunting, found in current study were fathers' education (with both, P value < 0.05), mothers' education (with both, P value < 0.05), poverty status (with both, P value <0.05), overcrowding (stunting only, P value <0.05), fathers' alcohol abuse (with both, P value < 0.05) and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (stunting only, P value <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was a very high prevalence of underweight (34.0%) and stunting (42.6%) in children under 5 years age in Mehrauli.