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Relationship between Nutritional Status and Academic Achievements: A Study among Rural School Children in South India

Brig. Hemant Kumar, Professor & Head of Department, A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences &Research Centre, Mangaluru, Karnataka 575004, India. , 1 Gowthami Palnati , 2 Brig. Hemant Kumar

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Indian Journal of Preventive Medicine 6(1):p 18-23, January-June 2018. | DOI: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijpm.2321.5917.6118.3

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Abstract

  Introduction: Malnutrition is a serious global issue. Each year nearly 25 million low birth babies are born . Recent reports show that , among under five children in developing countries, 206 million are stunted (low height for age), 50 million are wasted (low weight for height) and 167 million are underweight (low weight for age). Further, under­nutrition accounts for 3 million deaths among children and threatens the futures of hundreds of millions more. Studies indicate that nutrition affects the cognitive development, and in turn affects the academic performance. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of under nutrition and association between under nutrition and academic performance among rural school students

Materials & Methods: A total of 400 students were enrolled in the study, studying in 5th, 6th, and 7th standards from the selected schools. Height and weight were measured and indicators of nutrition such as Height for age, Weight for Age and BMI for age were determined for each student for both girls and boys separately using IAP growth centile charts. Academic performance was assessed by taking average scores of mathematics and science. Chi square test and multiple regression analysis were used to test the association.

Results: 400 students participated in this study. Out of these, 210 (52.4%) were boys and 190 (47.6%) were girls. Out of these, 30.8% of the students were from lower socio­economic status while 29% were from middle class. A total of 80 (20%) students were found stunted while 114 (28.5%) children were found to be under weight. Further, 96 (24%) students were under nourished (BMI for age <3rd centile for age). On multiple regression analysis after adjusting confounders, a significant positive co­relation was observed between under nutrition and poor academic performance (p<0.05),

Conclusion: The study brought out a positive co­relation between undernutrition and poor academic performance.


Keywords: Under­Nutrition; Co­relation; Academic Performance; Rural.

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DOI: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijpm.2321.5917.6118.3

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