• Ms L.Chinggoulun, M.Sc (N), Department of Pediatric Nursing, SMCON, Assam down town University, Guwa
• Mrs Nirmali Gogoi
• Mrs Anamika Bhuyan

ABSTRACT Background: Child nutrition status is an important measure of poverty in a population; poverty, malnutrition and disease are interlinked with each other. According to UNICEF 2017, nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 are attributable to under nutrition resulting into the loss of about 3 million lives a year. The study attempts to compare the nutritional status of under five children in selected rural and urban areas in Guwahati, Assam. Materials and methods: A non-experimental, descriptive survey design was carried out in selected Anganwadi centres of Guwahati, Assam among 100 under five children using non-probability convenient sampling technique. Structured interview method for the socio-demographic variables and anthropometric measurements- weight and mid upper arm circumference was used for assessing the nutritional status of under five children. Results and analysis: Malnutrition was graded according to IAP and MUAC. Results showed that among 100 under five children, total malnutrition cases were 62% in urban and 48% in rural when grading by IAP. Whereas by grading according to MUAC, malnutrition cases were 26% in urban and 22% in rural. No significant difference was found between the nutritional status of under five children in urban and rural areas using unpaired t-test (p<0.05). Discussion and conclusion: The researcher concluded that there is no significant difference between the nutritional status of urban and rural under five children. So, the place of residence does not determine the nutritional status as long as a functional Anganwadi centre is present in the area.

Keyword: Malnutrition, Anganwadi centres, Anthropometric measurement, IAP, MUAC.

"A comparative study to assess the nutritional status of under five children in selected urban and rural areas in Guwahati, Assam", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 8, page no.45-51, August-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1808165.pdf

"A comparative study to assess the nutritional status of under five children in selected urban and rural areas in Guwahati, Assam", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 8, page no. pp45-51, August-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1808165.pdf