NUTRITIONAL-STATUS AMONG RURAL MEITEI CHILDREN OF MANIPUR, INDIA

The nutritional status of 301 rural Meitei children (5-11 years old, 1 63 boys and 138 girls) from low socioeconomic backgrounds was evaluate d with the help of dietary survey, clinical signs of mineral and vitam in deficiencies, and selected anthropometric dimensions. The diet was cereal and starchy food-based with rice forming the staple food. Potat oes and green grams, were the commonly consumed tubers and pulses, res pectively. Consumption of fruits, eggs, milk, and milk products was ex tremely low. Vitamin A and C deficiencies were the most common. Spongy bleeding gums (19%), and Bitot's spot (11%) and conjunctival xerosis (12%) were the most prevalent clinical signs of vitamin C and A defici ency, respectively. Compared to girls, boys had a significantly higher incidence of deficiency signs. Mean statures and weights are below th e 20th percentile of U.S. (NCHS) reference data. The incidence of stun ting was substantially more than that of wasting. Nearly 29% of the ch ildren had z-scores 2 S.D. or more below the NCHS median in stature-fo r-age. Only 1.7% of the children had z-scores 2 S.D. or more below the reference median of weight-for-stature. More girls than boys were cla ssified as having normal weight/age, stature/age, and weight/stature. The results are contrary to the common belief that Indian girls are at a nutritional disadvantage compared to boys. Rather, the findings sup port the concept of better buffering of female than males under condit ions of environmental stress. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.