PREVALENCE OF UNDERWEIGHT AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG UNDER FIVECHILDREN OF RURAL FIELD PRACTICE AREA OF A MEDICAL COLLEGE IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Nutrition plays a key role in physical, mental and emotional development of children and much emphasis has been given to provide good nutrition to growingpopulation especially in the formative years of life. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and associated risk factors of underweight among under five children of rural field practice area.Community based cross sectional study was undertaken in rural field practice area of the department of Community Medicine of government medical college. Study was conducted during1st December 2021 to 31^stJanuary 2022. Children below 5 years in the selected area was included as the study participants. Institutional ethical committee permission was obtained prior to the start of study.Among the study participants as per weight for age criteria 446 (70.23) were having normal nutritional status and 189 (29.77) were undernourished.SES of family, use of marketed food & non-exclusive breast feeding significantly affected the malnutrition in under five children.