Abstract
Objective
To assess clinico-anthropometric profile of hospitalized children and their apparently healthy siblings from the Darjeeling tea garden.
Methods
This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, done at North Bengal Medical College, West Bengal, India over a period of 6 mo. Consecutively admitted 157 children and their 301 apparently healthy siblings were included. Clinical diagnosis, height/length, weight, BMI were recorded.
Results
Children (n = 157) were mostly admitted for gastroenteritis (36.3 %), respiratory infections (26.75 %), meningo-encephalitis (14.0 %). Among 301 siblings, 30.56 % had nutritional anemia, worm infestation, giardiasis etc. Severe (< −3 Z-score) stunting and wasting were noted in 10 (6.37 %) and 19 (12.1 %) hospitalized children respectively. A quarter of all siblings suffered from moderate malnutrition (stunting 24.92 %, wasting 29.57 %). Distribution of malnutrition in each anthropometric parameter was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in sick children compared to non-admitted siblings. Intergroup comparisons for both sexes were statistically significant for all parameters except in length/height for age for females. Moderate malnutrition (< −2 Z-score) was related to low BMI in 45 % (n = 71) of sick and 27 % (n = 83) of apparently well children.
Conclusions
The present study, first of its kind, delineated specific pattern of illness in sick and apparently healthy tea garden children. Malnutrition is statistically significant co-morbid associate in both the groups. Public health policy targeting these children is needed.
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Mondal, R., Sarkar, S., Hazra, A. et al. Clinico-Anthropometric Profile of Children from Darjeeling Tea Garden. Indian J Pediatr 81, 350–355 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1165-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1165-x