Hyderabad: A study conducted by pediatricians on 500 school students found that apart from the widely prevalent problem of being underweight or having stunted growth, many students suffered from anaemia, deficiency of Vitamin A or B-complex and had dental, skin, ENT, gastro-intestinal and respiratory problems.
The survey was covered 250 students from government schools in Hyderabad and the rest from schools located with a 40-km radius of the city. It was conducted by Paeditricians from Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research and Deccan College of Medical Sciences.
Dr Altaf Naseem Pediatrics faculty at DCMS and one of the authors, said “Poor dietary intake is a major reason behind such low standards of health among government school children because most of them belong to low socioeconomic backgrounds.
It will not be the same case among children from private schools. Malnutrition among government school children can be seen in any of the major cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Mumbai. If such poor standards of health are prolonged it will definitely affect their health in future.”
He said, “Apart from poor diet lack of awareness on proper eating and cooking habits also need to be addressed. It is observed that in low socioeconomic families, children are often given tea after having meals which reduces absorption of iron in the body or green leafy vegetables do not form part of diet often leading to anemia.”
In a study published this year in May, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and the Indian Institute of Health and Family Welfare, researchers found that the school location was unhealthy in over three-fifths of in Hyderabad. They also found the lunch place, classroom fans, toilets and water unhealthy in nearly two-third of the schools.
