Context:Child undernutrition is a public health problem in a developing country like India. Dietary diversity is an important immediate determinant of undernutrition.Aims:The aim of this study is to find the prevalence of stunting among infants and young children aged 6–23 months and its association with dietary diversity.Settings and Design:This study was community-based cross-sectional study. It was carried out in the registered families of the Urban Health Training Centre and Rural Health Training Centre, Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU, Aligarh.Methods:A total of 326 children aged 6–23 months were included in the study. Study tools were predesigned and pretested questionnaire, modified infant and young child feeding practices questionnaire, and infantometer. Systematic random sampling with probability proportionate to size technique was utilized to drawn necessary sample size.Statistical analysis:Wald's statistics, Z-scores, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression (LR) (stepwise backward LR) were used.Results:The prevalence of stunting in study population was 45.7% (95% CI - 40.1%, 51.1%); moderate stunting was 33.7% (95% CI - 28.8%, 39%); and severe stunting was 12% (95% CI - 8.8%, 16%). The prevalence of stunting was significantly associated with dietary diversity (OR - 0.17, 95% CI - 0.10–0.29)Conclusions:The study concludes that dietary diversity is a significant predictor of stunting. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving dietary diversity should be taken to reduce the burden of stunting among infants and young children.

Background: India saw one of the stringent lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of this period, the normal functioning of medical services was affected. People were reluctant to seek medical attention and notification of Tuberculosis dipped. The aim of the study was to estimate the proportion of non-adherence to anti-tubercular treatment and to identify the factors affecting the non-adherence to treatment. Methods: A retrospective community-based study was conducted among 284 tuberculosis patients. They were interviewed using a pre-designed questionnaire consisting of WHO dimensions of non-adherence and lockdown related questions. Results: The proportion of non-adherence to treatment was found to be 5.3%. Factors like chronic diseases, depression, without knowledge on how the disease is transmitted and that medication can be discontinued once the symptoms subsided, alcohol consumption, and trouble accessing medicine were found to be the determining factors in non-adherence to the treatment. Conclusions: Non-adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment in our study was low but the various dimensions of adherence along with lockdown related factors had significant impact on it. To further minimize non-adherence during emergency like the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, corrective measures must be explored and implemented.

Context:Complementary feeding practices play an important role in the growth and development of the children.Aims:The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of complementary feeding practices among children aged 6–23 months and its association with various sociodemographic factors.Settings and Design:The study was a community-based, cross-sectional study conducted at field practice area of Urban Health Training Centre and Rural Health Training Centre, Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.Materials and Methods:Mothers of children aged 6–23 months of age interviewed using the infant and young child feeding questionnaire for complimentary feeding indicators, namely, minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD). The sample size drawn was 326 using systematic random sampling with probability proportionate to size.Statistical Analysis Used:Wald's statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:MDD was adequate in 42.6% children, MMF in 50.9% children, and MAD in 35.6% children. MDD was significantly associated with area of residence, birth order of child, and Standard of living index (SLI); MMF was significantly associated with area of residence, sex of child, and literacy status of mother; MAD was significantly associated with area of residence, sex of child, birth order of child, and SLI.Conclusion:The study revealed that approximately 50% of mothers practiced inadequate complementary feeding. The feeding practices were found to be significantly associated with various sociodemographic factors highlighting the importance of addressing these factors if we aim an improvement in feeding practices.

Introduction:India is a country in transition, the population is graying and the non communicable diseases are rising. In the rural areas of India, the detection of hypertension is poor because of limited healthcare facilities and poor awareness among the people. In one such village, Mirzapur, adopted by the Aligarh Muslim University, there is a planned project to control hypertension in the villages through some innovative approaches. This study was the assessment phase of this project for mass management of hypertension to steer and guide the next phase of the project.Aim:The main objectives of this study were: to determine the prevalence of hypertension in residents ≥ 40 years in Mirzapur village, Aligarh, and, to assess the presence of rule of halves in hypertensionResults and Discussion:The present study in residents more than 40 years of age in the Mirzapur village in Aligarh found that the prevalence of hypertension in the study population was 41.9%, with a higher prevalence in older age groups. The mean blood pressure of the study population was found to be 100.03±13.17 mm Hg. The high prevalence reported in the present study reflects and reaffirms the increasing trend of hypertension in not only the urban, but also rural India, at least in the older age group. The problem of hypertension, due to its silent and asymptomatic nature, frequently depicts a rule of halves in places with weaker health system and an equally weaker health awareness and information among populations and the same is true for this village.Conclusion:There is an urgent need to conduct similar researches in other adopted villages of the country for the sake of inclusive development to find the exact burden of this silent and asymptomatic killer. More importantly, there is a need to find innovative solutions to combat the problem of hypertension detection and management.