Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is serious problem in India. ICDS provides supplementary nutrition through anganwadis to its beneficiaries. Aims &
Objective: (1) To study quantitative effect of supplementary nutrition on physical growth of children beneficiaries of ICDS. (2) To understand determinants of physical growth among children registered with ICDS anganwadis. Material and Methods: It was a prospective cohort study done during September 2010 to August 2011. All children of three to five years of 6 randomly selected anganwadis of Jhagadia block of Bharuch district were selected for study. The pretested and predesigned questionnaire was used for collection of data from the mother of the children at their home. Anthropometric measurements were done at anganwadi. Data for availing of supplementary nutrition by child and was obtained from anganwadis. Follow up anthropometric measurements were done another two times over the period of one year.
Results: Out of 104 children, 70 (67.3%) received adequate and 34 (32.7%) did not receive adequate supplementary nutrition. Both weight and height gain were more in the children who received adequate supplementary nutrition as compared to the children who did not receive adequate supplementary nutrition. Multivariate analysis indicated that, out of so many factors, supplementary nutrition and caste were the one which had significant effect on weight gain of children. Conclusion: Supplementary nutrition provided at anganwadi has significant impact on physical growth of its beneficiaries