Author(s): Shweta Naik

Abstract:
A study was conducted on Malnutrition among grade schoolers of age 9-11 years. Total samples of 135 school children were included. The children belong to Lambani community at Hoovinahadagali taluk, Bellary district, Karnataka. All the children’s 9-11 years of age studying in 4^th and 5^th standards were selected according to cardinal direction oriented five government primary schools. The nutritional status was assessed by using anthropometric measurements (height and weight). The results revealed that there were highly significant differences found in mean height and weight of children with respect to their NCHS norm values in both groups by age and gender. The height of boys and girls were found lower by 5.3 and 5 percent, while weight of boys and girls found less by only 1.77 and 3.6 percent respectively. There was highly significant differences found in mean height and weight (22.72**, 35.44** respectively) of children with respect to their NCHS norms value in both groups by age and (22.33** boys and 24.73** girls) gender. It was highlighted that 48.2 per cent children belonged to normal category followed by stunted (40.74%), wasted and stunted (8.2%) and wasted (2.96%) category. This is important to note that in young age group 22.22 per cent of children from 9 year age group fell in normal category while 37.03 per cent of older children belonged to stunted category indicated that prevalence of malnutrition in older group than younger children.