Department of Pediatrics, KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Imadol, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Department of Surgery, Nepal National Hospital, Kalanki, Kathmandu, Nepal.
JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2023 Aug 1;61(264):654-657. doi: 10.31729/jnma.8249.
Stunting refers to low height for age, resulting from chronic undernutrition, often linked to poor socio-economic conditions, maternal health, infant care, and nutrition. It hinders children's physical and cognitive development. In Nepal, over half of children under five suffer from malnutrition. Despite efforts, stunting remains high but has decreased from 57% in 1996 to 25% in 2022. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of stunting among children aged 6 to 59 months visiting the outpatient Department of Pediatrics in a tertiary care centre.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 6 to 59 months visiting the outpatient Department of Pediatrics in a tertiary care centre after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee from 27 April 2023 to 15 July 2023. Anthropometric measurements were taken. World health organization standard growth charts for Z score was used appropriately for the completed age in months and gender of the child. A pre-designed questionnaire was used for face-to-face interviews. Convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval.
Among 320 children, 46 (14.38%) (10.54-18.22, 95% Confidence Interval) children had stunting. Among those 46 children with stunting, 20 (43.47%) had severe stunting.
The prevalence of stunting among children aged 6 to 59 months was found to be lower than other studies done in similar settings.
children; prevalence; stunting; undernutrition.
发育迟缓是指因长期营养不良导致的身高低于年龄正常值，常与贫困的社会经济条件、母婴健康、婴幼儿照护和营养等因素有关。它会阻碍儿童的身体和认知发育。在尼泊尔，超过一半的五岁以下儿童遭受营养不良。尽管已经做出努力，但发育迟缓的情况仍然很高，不过已经从 1996 年的 57%下降到 2022 年的 25%。本研究旨在了解在一家三级保健中心儿科门诊就诊的 6 至 59 个月大的儿童中发育迟缓的患病率。
本研究是一项描述性的横断面研究，于 2023 年 4 月 27 日至 7 月 15 日期间在一家三级保健中心的儿科门诊对 6 至 59 个月大的儿童进行，获得了机构审查委员会的伦理批准。对儿童进行了人体测量学测量。根据儿童的月龄和性别，适当使用世界卫生组织的 Z 分数标准生长图表。采用面对面访谈的方式使用预先设计的问卷进行调查。使用便利抽样方法。计算了 95%置信区间的点估计值。
在 320 名儿童中，有 46 名（14.38%）（95%置信区间为 10.54-18.22）儿童患有发育迟缓。在这 46 名发育迟缓的儿童中，有 20 名（43.47%）患有严重发育迟缓。
研究发现，6 至 59 个月大的儿童发育迟缓的患病率低于在类似环境中进行的其他研究。
儿童；患病率；发育迟缓；营养不良
