Nutritional status of Indian adolescents (15-19 years) from National Family Health Surveys 3 and 4: Revised estimates using WHO 2007 Growth reference

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234570
• Publication Date: 2020-06-22T17:37:37Z
• Authors: Madhavi Bhargava; Anurag Bhargava; Sudeep D. Ghate; R. Shyama Prasad Rao
• Keywords: Family health

Background The National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) in India apply adult cutoffs of nutritional status for the estimation undernutrition/overweight 15–19 age group. prevalence thinness boys and girls thus estimated is 58.1% 46.8% NFHS-3, 45% 42% NFHS-4 respectively. But WHO recommends using sex-specific reference adolescents. We reanalyzed adolescents 2007 Growth Reference to obtain revised estimates thinness, overweight stunting across states, rural-urban residence, wealth quintiles. Methods findings Demographic information, anthropometric data, index were accessed from Survey (DHS) database. re-analyzed data AnthroPlus software which uses reference. assessed by BMI-for-age z-scores was 22.3% (95%CI: 21.6, 23.0) 9.9% 9.5, 10.3) NFHS-3 16.5% 16.0,17.0) 9% 8.9, 9.2) Stunting found be 32.2% (95% CI: 31.6, 32.9) 34.4% 34.2, 34.7) NFHS-4. This higher than that NFHS-3; 25.2% 24.4, 26) 31.2 30.6, 31.8) girls. There a clear socioeconomic gradient as there rural areas. wide variation among states with pockets double burden malnutrition. Conclusion Using significantly overestimates group years old India. Stunting, an indicator long term nutrition also widely prevalent them. Future editions DHS NFHS should consider separate assessment better understanding transition population.