Impact of nutritional status on cognitive development among pre-school children of Varanasi

Malnourished children have been found to exhibit a wide range of cognitive abnormalities. It is a condition developed due to inadequate micronutrient intake in the diet. Poor intake of food causes long–term cognitive consequences that affect preschooler brain functions. Unhealthy dietary habits, low socio-economic conditions and lack of nutritional awareness increase malnutrition risk among children. The objective of the study was to determine the impact of nutritional status on cognitive development among 3-5 years pre-school children of Varanasi. A cross-sectional study was implemented among 200 participants, who were selected randomly from Anganwadi centers of Varanasi. The data were collected through Interview schedule that contains information regarding food habits, food intake, and anthropometric assessment. The Seguin Form Board Test used for testing children's cognitive development. Collected data was analyzed by SPSS. The outcomes of the study indicated that lack of nutritional knowledge among mothers and poor dietary habits negatively impact children's cognitive development status. The study found that most children were wasted, and less than fifty percent were stunted. There are needs to be proper nutritional awareness programme related to child nutrition.