Goa kids not in pink of health

21.3 p.c. children under five are stunted; 15.4 p.c. thin, reveals health report

THE GOAN NETWORK | JANUARY 05, 2016, 12:00 AM IST

Photo Credits: Health survey

PANAJI

As many as 21.3 per cent of children under five in Goa are stunted and 15.4 p.c. are ‘wasted’ (thin) India Health Report for Nutrition, 2015 conducted by the Public Health Foundation of India has revealed.

The report has been drawn up through collating data from several sources including the rapid survey on children 2013-14, Census of India 2011, National Sample Survey, District Level household and facility survey, etc.

Despite seemingly high numbers, Goa is second only to Kerala when it comes to having a low percentage of stunted children but higher than the national average when it comes to children who are wasted.

Stunting in children is defined as the percentage of children, aged 0 to 59 months, whose height for age is below the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards.

Wasting or thinness defined as low weight for height, is the result of a recent and severe process of weight loss, which is often associated with acute starvation and/or severe disease.

Stunting is associated with an underdeveloped brain, with long-lasting harmful consequences, including diminished mental ability and learning capacity, poor school performance in childhood, reduced earnings and increased risks of nutrition related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in future.

The State scored well when it came to other indicators such as 62.6p.c. of infants who are five months old or less who have been exclusively breastfed and only 16.7 p.c. children who had low birth weight. 92 p.c. children between one year to two years of age were fully vaccinated and 94 p.c. of mothers who had children below three years of age who had three or more antenatal check ups.

On the other hand, the report also indicates that 63.4 p.c. of women between 15 and 65 were anaemic, 73 p.c. of children between six and 59 months of age are anaemic while 56 p.c. of girls between 15 and 18 h BMI of less than 18.5.

Interestingly despite having just 5% of the population below poverty line, more than 14 p.c. openly.

The report has been collated using multiple sources align with the UNICEF framework of actions necessary to achieve optimal fetal and child nutrition development and help by bringing together data in ways that can help facilitate greater understanding of the factors that are known to lead to poor nutrition.

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