Introduction:With the rise in aged population there is a greater need to look into their nutritional and physical disability aspects which is otherwise neglected. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition, anemia and physical disability among the community-dwelling aged population.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out in a rural block of north Tamil Nadu. Seventeen villages were selected using cluster sampling based on probability proportional to size. A total of 340 participants of age 60 years and above were selected from these clusters using simple random sampling. Nutritional status and physical disability were assessed using mini nutritional assessment scale and Barthel index. Blood samples were collected for anemia. Appropriate data entry and statistical analysis were done in EPIDATA and SPSS 16.Statistical Analysis Used:Besides calculating prevalence chi square and logistic regression tests were done to identify associated risk factors.Results and Conclusions:The overall prevalence of “at risk of malnutrition,” anemia and physical disability were 10.9%, 38.2% and 20.6%, respectively. None of the community-dwelling aged population was found to be malnourished. Anemia and physical disability were significantly higher among the older age group [(OR 2.29 (1.17–4.89), (OR 2.81 (95% CI 1.31–6.04), respectively]. Similarly women were more affected with physical disability than men (OR 2.27 (1.28–4.02)). Further studies need to be done to explore the reasons for high prevalence of anemia.

Introduction:As we are moving from millennium development goals to sustainable development goals, food insecurity is imposing a formidable challenge to the policymakers, especially in developing countries such as India. A survey conducted in the urban slum areas of Vellore district, 6 years back, had reported food insecurity as high as 75%. The current study was a resurvey to assess the food security status in the aforementioned area.Materials and Methods:A community-based survey was conducted in which data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 150 households, selected through multistaged cluster sampling, who had given oral consent to be a part of the survey. The prevalence of food security calculated from this study was compared with the results from a previous survey to look for any significant improvement.Results:Nearly 42.7% of the households were food secure, while 26.7% were food insecure without hunger and 30.6% were food insecure with some degree of hunger. Low socioeconomic status (odds ratio [OR]: 3.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29–8.16; P < 0.012) and presence of debt (OR: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.90–7.73; P < 0.001) were the major risk factors for food insecurity. A comparison with the findings from the previous study has shown a statistically significant improvement in food security from 25.4% to 42.7% (Chi-square: 27.072, df: 2, P < 0.0001).Conclusion:Although food security levels have shown marked improvement over the years, much needs to be done for India to be free from the shackles of hunger.

Aim:To empower and bring the underprivileged senior citizens in the rural areas to the mainstream of life through setting up of model “senior citizens' recreation centers” that can be replicated in the other parts of the country.Materials and Methods:Six senior citizens' recreation centers are run in six villages under a community health program of a leading Medical College in South India, which were started by looking into their perceived needs and in a location where organized self-help women groups (SHGs) showed willingness to take the role of caretakers. Together there are 140 members in 6 centers and the most deserving members were identified using a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method. These centers are open for 5 days a week and the main attraction of the center has been provision of one good, wholesome, noon-meal a day, apart from several recreational activities. The members were also assessed for chronic energy deficiency (CED) and quality of life at the beginning of enrolment using body mass index (BMI) and WHO-BREF scale.Results:The attendance to these centers was nearly 90% of the enrolled beneficiaries. A statistically significant improvement was noticed in quality of life in the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain (P < 0.05). There was also a significant increase in the average BMI after 1 year of the intervention (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Care of underprivileged senior citizens is a growing need in the rural areas and the “Recreation centers” proved to be a beneficial model that can be easily replicated.

Background: Malnutrition plays an important role in the economic burden of society as well as the country. This study aimed to identify the various risk factors and determinants of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) as defined by WHO growth reference standards in children aged 6 months to 59 months living in Vellore. Methods: A community-based case-control study matched for age (±2months), gender and location was done among the children of the age group 6- 59 months residing in both rural and urban Vellore. Children of age group 6-59 months with SAM according to WHO definition, i.e., weight for height of less than -3SD with or without nutritional oedema were classified as cases. Children with weight-for-height z-score more than -1 SD and MUAC ≥13.5cms were classified as controls. With 2 controls per case, the required sample size was 54 cases and 108 controls. A questionnaire used to identify the risk factors including dietary intake. Uni-variate and multivariate analysis was done to generate an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for the risk factors. Results: Majority of the cases 64.8% and 50% of the controls belonged to low SES. After adjusting all confounders, Severe Acute Malnutrition was significantly associated with birth weight <2.499kg [AOR- 8.95 (95% CI: 2.98-26.85)], not exclusively breastfed for 6 months [AOR 4.67 (95% CI: 1.72-12.65)], inadequate calorie intake [AOR 8.09 (95% CI: 3.15-20.82)] and mother being underweight [AOR 6.87 (95% CI: 1.92-24.55)]. Conclusion: Programs should be implemented to reduce the poor nutritional status of young girls and women in the reproductive age group. The importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, the time of weaning and appropriate feeding practice for the child should be emphasized to postnatal mothers during their hospital visits.