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ecommended and the actual intake of each of these nutrients was not slgnif~cantly
d~fferent between girls and boys (p > 0.05 for each of the nutrient).
{b) Nutritional status
(i) Other epidemiological methods
The nutritional status was determined by anthropometry. The height, weight and BMI of
the children examined are shown in Figures 5.65.11 The height and weight of both
g~rls and boys were less than the affluent Indians and the NCHS standards. The
difference between the study group and the groups compared was found to increase
w~th age For chlldren betweer1 5-12 years of age, nutritional status was also assessed
by the BMI. Taking 0 13 as the cut off point (Ramakrishnan, 1992), it was found that,
192 out of 352 gids (54.5%) and 253 out of 420 boys (60.2%) were under nour~shed.
No signifcant difference was observed between the genders (p > 0.05). In general, for
g~rls, the BMI remalned constant at 0.13 between 5 and 11 years of age, except at the
age of 7 years when it was 0 14
From age 11 years onwards, it showed a steady
Increase =or boys it was constant at 0.13 upto age llyears Thereafter it was 0.14
upto age 14 years and again showed an increase at 15 years of age.
5.4.3 Spectrum of illness and causes
la) fthnoqraphic methods
(i) Spectrum
Group discussions revealed a wide spectrum of illnesses that occurred in school age
children. The illnesses included fever, respiratory infection, headache, abdom~nal Pain,
diarrhea, skin infections, dental caries, jaundice, convulsions, eye problems and