[IIDIA:N JOUR AL oF' PEDIATP IOS Vol. 46

June, 1979 9

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No. 377 ,

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WEIGHT/HEIGHT z RATIO IN ASSESSMENT OF PRO rEIN GALORIE MALNUTRITION*

S.D. GUPTA, R. SHARMA, S.K. OHA'rURVgDIA N D R. GUPTA Protein c a l o r i e malnutrition (PCM) tmoiagp_resch0ol children is a major public h~'alth pr0.blem in ! n d i a a n d other under ~~li~[oped~ .countries i n ,the. W o r l d . . . T h e

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ill_~':ii'se, of-anthropometry.: M a n y anthro~n'~ti'ic" ;measurements have, been used in a-U,.tyitiona! surveys but:they are more or less d.e'i~.ndent on precise age .which9 cons[raints~:on their effective and widespread me in nutritional assessment of children trader field conditions. A valid age-indei~/ident estimate can be made by using the ratio of two anthropometric 9 ~eight/Height ~ ratio gives a fair estimate of the magnitude'of the problem. Material and Methods The present study was carried out in elght-villages stratified according t o their popfilation, in the area of the 9 Health Training Centre, Naila, ~o assess tlae nutritional status of children of age 1-4 years, during the period from May, 1976 to September, 1976. It included 605 children ..*I~mmthe Department of Preventive and Social Mediet~e,,$.M.S. Medical College,Jaipur and the Departmeat of Gynaecoiogy and Obstetrics, S~N. Medical9 ~llege, Agra. Receivedon May 25, 1078.

representing Various socio-econbmic strata. The. Weight/Heigh# ratio ..and Weight-forage method were used to assess 'the. nutri~ ~i0i/al status of the cbild.ren. T h e Weight/ Height~ ra.ti0~,,