Women and Child Nutritional Status among the Irular Tribe in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Malnutrition among children and women has serious long-term consequences in our India especially the
deprived section of the people. In this case, tribal are the most vulnerable section of people compared
with other population. According to NFHS IV report (2015-16), the percentage of under the weight of
STs is 42 Percent The prevalence of underweight is almost one and half times higher in tribal children
than other population tribal children continue to be the most malnourished. Stunting among children and
low BMI among adults in tribal people is more than among the non-tribal population. Due to this concern
researcher made to study the women and child nutritional status among the Irular tribe of Villupuram District
of Tamil Nadu. A community-based cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of
children below 5 years and their mother of Irular Tribe by using inexpensive anthropometry method. Such
as Weight for age, height for age and weight for height, BMI & Waist hip ratio for an adult was calculated
by using WHO growth standards. The prevalence of underweight (weight for age), stunting (Height for Age)
and wasting (Weight for Height) in the study population is 58.43 Percent 64.04 Percent and 51.69 Percent
respectively. The proportion of moderate and severely underweight, stunting and wasting were highest in
the age group of 36-59 months. Malnutrition is a major public health problem among children and women
especially in the most vulnerable segment of people