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© 1978 Oxford University Press

research-article

Sri Lanka Nutrition Status Survey, 1975

E W BRINK1, W D A PERERA2, S P BROSKE3, N R HUFF4, N W STAEHLING5, J M LANE6 and M Z NICHAMAN7

1Medical OfficerBureau of Smallpox Eradication, Center for Disease Control, Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education and Welfare Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA
2NutritionistMedical Research Institute, Ministry of Health Colombo, Sri Lanka
3Medical OfficerBureau of Smallpox Eradication, Center for Disease Control (deceased)
4DirectorCARE/Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka
5StatisticianBureau of Smallpox Eradication, Center for Disease Control Atlanta, Georgia
6DirectorBureau of Smallpox Eradication, Center for Disease Control Atlanta, Georgia
7ChiefPreventable Diseases and Nutrition Activity, Center for Disease Control Atlanta, Georgia

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and the Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, U S A conducted a country-wide survey of the growth status of rural Sri Lankan preschoolchildren aged 6 to 72 months to provide data on the prevalence and distribution of protein-energy undernutrition. Thirty sample sites were selected in each of Sri Lanka's 15 health districts (SHS areas) using population proportionate sampling. The survey obtained data on weight, height and age for 13 450 children.

Acute undernutrition, defined as weight-for-height less than 80 percent of the NAS reference median, was present in 6.7% of rural Sri Lankan children aged 6 to 72 months, ranging from 3.7 to 8.8% among SHS areas. Estate children had a prevalence of acute undernutrition of 8.6% compared to 6.4% for village children. Countrywide, the greatest prevalence of acute undernutrition occurred in the 12 to 24 month age group. Chronic undernutrition, defined as height-for-age less than 90 percent of the NAS reference median, was present in 34.7% of the children, ranging from 20.7% to 49.6% among SHS areas. The overall prevalence for estate children was 62.4% compared to a village prevalence of 30.8%. The prevalence of growth retardation increased with age. The prevalence of acute undernutrition in rural Sri Lankan children aged 48 to 72 months was two and one-half times that of a special group of children selected from private pregrade schools in Colombo. The prevalence of growth retardation in rural children was 16 times that found in the special group. A problem of undernutrition of an impressive magnitude exists in the rural Sri Lankan preschool population.

Revised 18 October 1977


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