Vol. 9, Issue 12 (2020)

Author(s):
Dr. Daneshwari Onkari, Babitha, Gayathri N and Kavitha

Abstract:
Nutritional status is the condition of health of an individual, influenced by nutrient intake and its utilization in the body. Nutrition of primary school children is of paramount importance because the foundation for their life time health, strength and intellectual vitality is laid during this period. With this view the study on “Nutritional status of school children” was conducted during the year 2019-2020 in rural and urban area of Beltangadi Taluka. 120 samples were randomly selected. Among these 60 samples were from urban area and 60 samples were from rural area. The correlation design was used with the aim to know the relationship between nutritional status and selected independent variables. The differential design was used to know the difference between nutritional status of rural and urban areas children. Variables assessed were, personal characteristics and familial characteristics. Structured Personal Schedule, Socio-Economic Status Scale Developed by Agrawal et al., (2005) and Nutritional status by Anthropometric Measurements were used to collect different information of the sample for the study. Frequency, correlation, t test and regression analysis were used for analyzing the data. The results revealed that, 55.0 per cent, 50.0 per cent and 52.5 per cent of the rural, urban and total children belonged to underweight category of nutritional status respectively and 45.0 per cent, 50.0 per cent and 47.5 per cent of rural, urban and total children belonged to normal weight category of nutritional status respectively. There was significant relation and difference between nutritional status and locality. Age of the child found to be significantly predicting the nutritional status of children in Belthangadi taluk. It explained 5.3 per cent of variance in nutritional status of children. Even locality has found to be predicting nutritional status.