By: SUNANDA SAHU, A. BIJAYASUNDARI DEVI
Malnutrition remains a major public health concern among tribal children in India, significantly increasing the risk of morbidity and mortality. This community-based cross-sectional study assessed and compared the nutritional status of children under five years old from the Kamar and Kharia tribes in Mahasamund district, Chhattisgarh. A total of 267 children (135 Kamar and 132 Kharia) were purposively selected from 30 tribal villages and studied between January and May 2024. Anthropometric measurements, including height/length, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and head circumference, were recorded using standard WHO procedures. The prevalence of undernutrition was high in both tribes. In pooled analysis, stunting, wasting, and underweight affected 55.2%, 61.2%, and 73.1% of Kamar boys and 64.6%, 60.0%, and 64.6% of Kharia boys, respectively. Among girls, stunting was observed in 57.4% of Kamar and 71.6% of Kharia children, while wasting and underweight affected more than half of the children in both tribes. Thinness, low head circumference, and low MUAC were also prevalent across all age groups. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions targeting tribal populations, with emphasis on maternal nutrition, child feeding practices, and effective implementation of ICDS and POSHAN Abhiyaan programs.
