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Relationship between Nutritional Status and Body Composition among Rural Preschool Children (3-5 years) in Kankabati Gram Panchayat, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India
Bimal Khanra, Biswajit Mahapatra and Kaushik Bose
Published: 2024/12/01
Abstract
The present study examined the correlation between nutritional status and body composition in rural preschool children aged three to five years in Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. A total of 276 children, including 132 boys and 144 girls, were included in the study. Nutritional status, particularly undernutrition, is assessed using the standard cutoff values recommended by the World Health Organisation (< -2 SD). The present study found that stunted, underweight, thinness, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)-based undernourished children had a lower mean value in all body composition parameters compared to adequately nourished children. Height and weight both showed a higher positive correlation with fat-free mass than with fat mass. MUAC showed a higher positive correlation with arm fat area ([I]r[/I] = .786;[I]p[/I] < .001) than with arm muscle area. BMI showed a higher positive correlation with fat-free mass index ([I]r[/I] = .980;[I]p[/I] < .001) than with fat mass index. The study found a significant increase in height, weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass with age. Boys had higher body size, fat mass, and fat-free mass, while girls had a higher body fat proportion. The study concludes that gender differences in body composition don’t start with the hormonal changes of puberty but begin much earlier. Keywords: Body composition, Nutritional status, Rural preschool children, West Bengal
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