PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG UNDER 5 CHILDREN IN SOMANUR AND THE STUDY OF _ = FACTORS INFLUENCING THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THESE jutrition among under 5 BOTAN a ss PROJECT DONE BY: Pare hPaleINpaw AP AVAUP UM SUA P OO. Gelubalie I. THASLEEM SHIREEN P. UVARAIACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Thomas Ma Chacko HOD, Department of Community medicine for Past us an oppurtunity to do this project. We would like to thank Dr. Ravi Shankar, Asst. Professor, Department of Community medicine for his kind help and ~ valuable advice. We would also like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Seetharaman, Dept. of Community medicine without whose “ guidance this would not have been possible. Our thanks to Dr.Premkumar, Medicalofficer,Somanur.INTRODUCTION * About 200 million children are = malnourished in India and between 100 to 400 children in 1000 live births die before the age of 5 yrs in tropical areas. Hence MALNUTRITION 1s recognised as a major preventable cause of morbidity and™ mortality in under 5 children. * Poverty is the commonest cause of malnutrition in developing countries, leading to a viscious cycle of- undemutrition-decreased work capacity- low income-poverty. ®