Survey: 7 of 10 children in metros below median for growth parameters

Seven out of 10 children in the 2-to-10-year age group have below-median growth parameters (growth measured here as height and weight) and as many as 45 per cent of these children are nutritionally at-risk.

A survey on fussy eating behaviour among children in the four metros conducted by Abbot Nutrition found that 70 per cent (seven out of 10 or 844 children of 1,181 survey respondents) of the children were below the median growth parameters (of either height or weight or both). A significant percentage of these below-median children (61 per cent) were found to be fussy eaters.

Fussy eating was found to strike early, with 61 per cent of children in the 2-4 years age group observed to be fussy eaters.

Also, fussy eating was observed most in the more affluent socio-economic classes, such as SEC A households (62 per cent) as compared to the lower SEC C & D (54 per cent) households.

Strong food likes/dislikes, consuming a limited number of food items and refusal to eat vegetables and/or foods from other food groups were the top three fussy eating behaviours observed in the survey.

Below-median growth parameters refer to below-median height or below-median weight or below median height and weight for age as per World Health Organisation Child Growth Standards. The Indian Academy of Paediatrics advises the use of WHO growth charts for monitoring growth in Indian children.

An official statement quoting Dr Bhaskar Raju, paediatrician at Mehta’s Hospitals, Chennai, said: “A single observation of below-median weight is probably not alarming. These findings highlight the need to track growth in children regularly to ensure they do not progressively fall below the median, which will put them at risk nutritionally. Many children surveyed were below the 15th percentile and at risk of undernourishment, and all its future consequences. Some may be approaching the 3rd percentile, which is the WHO cut-off for malnourishment”.

Chennai was found to have the highest percentage of below-median children (83 per cent), below 15th percentile children (61 per cent) and fussy eaters (73 per cent).

Kolkata had the lowest percentage of children with below-median growth (56 per cent) and children below 15th percentile (34 per cent). However, the city was found to have a high percentage of fussy eaters (73 per cent).

More information on optimal height and weight (for age) is available at www.facebook.com/PediasureIndia.

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