GROWTH MONITORING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION: IMPACT ON CHILD’S NUTRITIONAL STATUS

LAKHANI, ARUSA NASIRUDIN and RATTANI, SALMA AMIN

Karachi, Pakistan.

 

Growth monitoring was introduced into most developing countries in the 1970s with the aim of combating malnutrition in infancy and childhood. Growth monitoring is an effective and world wide accepted tool of pediatric services provided within the community by health professionals. However, growth monitoring independently does not either prevents or treats malnutrition nor does it improve nutritional status of a child; it may require effective interventions too.

OBJECTIVES:

This study will assess the relationship build among the education provided with growth monitoring on nutritional status of a child.

The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between growth monitoring and educating caretakers on nutritional management of a child. The objectives of the study are to assess the:

ü         Effects of regular growth monitoring and nutritional education on child’s growth.

ü         Relationship between growth monitoring and early detection of malnutrition

In this study, the concepts and the relationships between health education, growth monitoring and malnutrition will be explored.

METHODS:

This will be a quantitative comparative retrospective study. The target population will include all the families who are registered at the North zone MCH centers Karachi. Out of 2500 registered families, the folders with nutritional education given with growth monitoring and without nutritional education will be separated. Than 125 folders from each section would be randomly selected, so the total population for the study would be 250 children, in which, comparison will be made between the two groups of children whose caretakers have received nutritional education or have not received the nutritional education. The comparison will aim to assess the impact of growth monitoring and nutritional education on children nutritional status.

In Children who have visited MCH center for growth monitoring on a regular basis will be included in the sample population. All the children between the ages of 6 months to 3 years who come for growth monitoring will be included in the study.

For ethical consideration names of the MCH centers, family folder numbers and children’s name will be kept confidential.

Data will be collected from individual record at MCH centers by reviewing their growth monitoring chart and nutritional education from family folders. A form will be developed as a data collection instrument in which investigators will focus on sex, birth weight, type of feeding, weaning diet, weight gain, nutritional education, minor disorders, malnutrition and average family income.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:

Data will be tabulated for Quantitative analysis of results by applying chi square test to determine effects of regular growth monitoring and nutritional education on child’s growth and the relationship between growth monitoring and early detection of malnutrition the relationship between growth monitoring and nutritional education to caretakers and other related factors from data collection instrument.

The study will than assist health personal in future to blend growth monitoring with education to maintain child’s nutritional status and prevent the risk of malnutrition and other related complications.

 

 

 
2026