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American International Journal of Social Science Research; Vol. 2, No. 1; 2018 

                  ISSN 2576-103X  E-ISSN 2576-1048 

Published by Centre for Research on Islamic Banking & Finance and Business 

 

1 

 

 

Weight for Height of Children in Nepal 
 

 

Maya Nath Ghimire
1 

& Ram Krishna Maharjan
2 

 

 

1
 Mewar University, Rajasthan, India 

2
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal 

Correspondence: Maya Nath Ghimire, Mewar University, India. Email: mayanathghimire@gmail.com 

 

 

Received: October 09, 2017        Accepted: October 12, 2017    Online Published: January 4, 2018 

 

 

Abstract 

Health is more important for the physical and mental growth and development of children. The children under 

five years are considered as a critical stage for their future development. Food plays vital role in development of 

children health. In this relation, the study has explored and analysed weight for height of children of 3-5 years 

with reference to age and gender. The study was conducted in rural area of Makawanpur and Chitawan districts 

of Nepal among the 1250 samples.The study found that in total, 4.3% children were in sever/worst malnourished 

(-3SD) of weight for height. Similarly, 8.7% children were in moderate malnourished (-2SD), and 26.9% were in 

mild malnourished (-1SD). The study found that there was very slightly different in nutritional status of Chepang 

and non Chepang children. 

 

Keywords: Height, Mid-Upper Arms Circumference (MUAC), Malnutrition, Under-Nutrition, Weight. 

 

1. Introduction 

Child growth is dependent on the weight for height. If weight for height is not according to children they are 

called under-nutrition or malnutrition.If a child has a chronic nutritional deficiencies and frequent bouts of illness 

in early life is best indicated by the infant’s growth in length and the child’s growth in height. Stunted is the 

cause of day to day nutritional deficiencies. They may not gain height in later age; those who live in developing 

countries (GoN, MoHP, DoHS, 2010). While a deficit in height i.e. stunting is difficult to correct, underweight 

can be recovered if nutrition and health is improved later in childhood. If the compromised of height at age is 

covered at the age of four to five, it masks the imbalance of nutrition during pregnancy period. (UNICEF, 2009). 

Childhood malnutrition is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. It is a complicating factor for 

other illnesses. The situation of child malnutrition in Nepal is very high due to the cultural, social, economic, 

educational and political structure of Nepal(Chapagain, et al., 2004). Stunting, underweight and wasting are 

more common in Mid and Far-West Hills, and Mountain areas than other parts of the country. Approximately 

50% children in Nepal are undernourished out of which 49% are stunting, 39% are underweight and 12% are 

wasting(Sharma, 2012). The immediate implication of malnutrition is weight loss and faltering growth, as well 

as increased susceptibility to disease. The long term effect of malnutrition or stunting has intergenerational 



 

 
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implication as well.  

Bhattarai and colleagues(2012) explored that regarding children, two third of male and 50% female were 

malnourished. Similarly, 51.2% of male and 28% of female were found stunted indicating chronic malnutrition 

and 39% of male and 42% of female were found suffering Chronic Energy Deficiency (Thinness) while 3% male 

had class-I obesity and they were overweight. Almost all of the children were forced to the moderate work, due 

to cultural impact, lack of awareness and social bad impact.  “Adult man, women and children from 13 months 

to  5 years obtained  total energy from their daily food” (Bhattarai, Rai, & Rai, 2012, p. 222). 

There are different causes of under-nutrition. They are economical, cultural, environmental, lack of awareness, 

etc. To come out of these different causes food security policy act is needed. However, “in Nepal, a separate 

policy for food safety and quality doesn’t exit. How as expects of food safety and quality have been reflected in 

other policy and strategies such as Nepal Plan of Action on Nutrition 1998, Multi-sectorial Nutritional Plan 2013 

have stressed the impotence of food safety and quality. Food safety and quality policy has been drafted and yet to 

be approved by the Government of Nepal.” (Wasti & Purna, 2013, p. 8). 

2. Materials & Method 

"A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to 

combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure"(Kothari, 2009). A research design 

provides the framework for the collection and analysis of data.  This research was an explorative based on 

mixed method.  Through such research we can analyse the various factors which motivate people to behave in 

particular manner or which make people like or dislike in food intake in Chepang community of Chitawan and 

Makawanpur districts of Nepal. This study was non-experimental cross sectional. 

Primary data were collected by using the structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Simple 

frequency distribution was applied to identify the nutrition status of 3-5 years children. Comparative study was 

conducted between the Chepang and Non-Chepang communities. As well as through FGDs qualitative data were 

collected and narrated. 

Quantitative data, cross-sectional survey method has been used. A well-structured questionnaire and 

measurement of weight and height were used to determine the nutritional status of children of socio-economic, 

environmental, demographic and household deprivation on nutritional status of the   3-5 years children in rural 

areas of Chitawan and Makawanpur districts in Chepang communities. It was compared with Brahman/Chhetri 

of 3-5 years children.  Census method was used for questionnaire survey from Chepang population 3-5 year 

children household for data collection. The key informants were 3-5 years children households.   

Quantitative data were gathered by structured questions containing height, weight and mid-upper arms 

circumference (MUAC) measurement. The anthropometric measure as well as Department of Health and WHO 

standards were used for the determination of nutritional status of 3-5 years children. Standard deviation of score 

(Z-score) for weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) were calculated. 

3. Objectives of the Research  

The main objective of this study is to explore and analyse weight for height of children of 3-5 years with 

reference to age and gender. 

4. Result & Discussion 

4.1 Sex-Wise No. of Children in Family 

The collected data show that 49.3% boys and 50.7% girls were found. Among them, 49.9% non-Chepang and 

48.8% Chepang boys were reported.  

 

 

 



 

 
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Table 1: Sex-wise no. of children in family 

District Ethnicity Male Female Total 

Makawanpur Non-Chepang # 158 155 313 

%  50.5 49.5 100 

Chepang # 123 152 275 

%  44.7 55.3 100 

Total   # 281 307 588 

%  47.8 52.2 100 

Chitawan Non-Chepang # 97 101 198 

%  49.0 51.0 100 

Chepang # 238 226 464 

%  51.3 48.7 100 

Total  # 335 327 662 

%  50.6 49.4 100 

Total Non-Chepang # 255 256 511 

%  49.9 50.1 100 

Chepang # 361 378 739 

%  48.8 51.2 100 

Total  # 616 634 1250 

%  49.3 50.7 100 

 

The above table shows that 50.5% non-Chepang and 44.7% Chepang were boys from Makawanpur district. 

Similarly, from Chitawan district, 49% non-Chepang and 51.3% Chepang were boys. District-wise, boys' 

participation was higher from Chitawan district whereas girls were higher from Makawanpur district.  

4.2 Age of Children (In Months) 

The study was focused among the 3-5 years (36-60 months) children. Among them, exact age of children was 

collected. Age was calculated in months.  In total, 24.9% children were of 36 months, 16.6% were between 

37-41 months, 7.8% were between 42-46 months, 22.9% were between 47-51 months, 5% were between 52-56 

months, and 22.9% were between 57-60 months. Comparatively, majority children were of 36 months. 

Table 2: Age of children (in months) 

District Ethnicity 36 37-41 42-46 47-51 52-56 57-60 Total 

Makawanpur Non-Chepang # 110 11 7 110 4 71 313 

%  35.1 3.5 2.2 35.1 1.3 22.7 100 

Chepang # 113 12 17 64 15 54 275 

%  41.1 4.4 6.2 23.3 5.5 19.6 100 

Total # 223 23 24 174 19 125 588 

%  37.9 3.9 4.1 29.6 3.2 21.3 100 

Chitawan Non-Chepang # 21 52 34 25 19 47 198 

%  10.6 26.3 17.2 12.6 9.6 23.7 100 

Chepang # 67 133 39 87 24 114 464 

%  14.4 28.7 8.4 18.8 5.2 24.6 100 



 

 
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Total # 88 185 73 112 43 161 662 

%  13.3 27.9 11.0 16.9 6.5 24.3 100 

Total Non-Chepang # 131 63 41 135 23 118 511 

%  25.6 12.3 8.0 26.4 4.5 23.1 100 

Chepang # 180 145 56 151 39 168 739 

%  24.4 19.6 7.6 20.4 5.3 22.7 100 

Total # 311 208 97 286 62 286 1250 

%  24.9 16.6 7.8 22.9 5.0 22.9 100 

 

The above table shows that 24.9% children were of 36 months in Makawanpur district whereas majority of 

children were between 37-41 months in Chitawan district. Ethnicity wise also, 41.1% Chepang children were of 

36 months and 35.1% non-Chepang children were 36 months in Makawanpur district. Similarly, in Chitawan 

district, majority 28.7% Chepang children and 26.3% non-Chepang were between 37- 41 months.  

4.3 Total Family Members in a Family 

50.5% respondents reported that they had less than 5 members in a family, 34.6% had 5-8 members, 12.8% had 

8-11 members, 1.7% had 11-14 and 0.4% had more than 14 members in a family. 

Table 3: Total family members in a family 

District Ethnicity Less than 5 5-8 8-11 11-14 More than 

14 

Total 

Makawanpur Non-Chepang # 193 96 22 1 1 313 

 % 61.7 30.7 7.0 0.3 0.3 100 

Chepang # 104 125 37 7 2 275 

 % 37.8 45.5 13.5 2.5 0.7 100 

Total # 297 221 59 8 3 588 

 % 50.5 37.6 10.0 1.4 0.5 100 

Chitawan Non-Chepang # 130 49 19 - - 198 

 % 65.7 24.7 9.6 - - 100 

Chepang # 204 163 82 13 2 464 

 % 44.0 35.1 17.7 2.8 0.4 100 

Total # 334 212 101 13 2 662 

 % 50.5 32.0 15.3 2.0 0.3 100 

Total Non-Chepang # 323 145 41 1 1 511 

 % 63.2 28.4 8.0 0.2 0.2 100 

Chepang # 308 288 119 20 4 739 

 % 41.7 39.0 16.1 2.7 0.5 100 

Total # 631 433 160 21 5 1250 

 % 50.5 34.6 12.8 1.7 0.4 100 

 

The above table shows that 50.5% family had less than 5 members in both Makawanpur and Chitawan districts. 

Similarly, ethnicity wise, 37.8% Chepang in comparison with 61.7% non-Chepang had less than 5 members 

whereas 0.7% Chepang and 0.3% non-Chepang had more than 14 members in a family in Makawanpur district. 

Similarly, 44% Chepang in comparison with 65.7% non-Chepang had less than 5 members whereas 0.4% 



 

 
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Chepang had more than 14 members in a family in Chitawan district. Number of family members was found 

high in Chepang in both districts as comparison with other non-Chepang communities.  

4.4 Weight for Height of Children 

The weight for height of children was identified on the basis of nutritional measurement scale developed by the 

World Health Organization (WHO). The Table 4 shows that in total, 4.3% children were in sever/worst 

malnourished (-3SD) of weight for height. Similarly, 8.7% children were in moderate malnourished (-2SD), and 

26.9% were in mild malnourished (-1SD). 

Table 4: Weight for height of children 

 

Wfh 

Non-Chepang Chepang  

Total # % # % 

-1SD 142 42.3 194 57.7 336 

-2SD 35 32.1 74 67.9 109 

-3SD 22 41.5 31 58.5 53 

Median 94 41 135 59 229 

1SD 98 49.7 99 50.3 197 

2SD 37 49.3 38 50.7 75 

3SD 64 49 67 51 131 

NA 19 16.2 98 83.8 117 

Total 511 41 736 59 1247 

 

The results support the research finding of baseline survey report of Tanahu that “27% children were suffering 

from severe and moderate undernutrition and 7% were having severe and moderate wasting indicating acute 

malnutrition"(United Mission to Nepal, 2003, p. vi).  

5. Conclusion 

The study has focused to explore the weight for height of Chepang and non-Chepang children of Makawanpur 

and Chitawan districts of Nepal in relation to malnutrition status as defined by WHO guideline. The study found 

that there was very slightly different in nutritional status of Chepang and non Chepang children. In total, 4.3% 

children were in sever/worst malnourished (-3SD) of weight for height. Similarly, 8.7% children were in 

moderate malnourished (-2SD), and 26.9% were in mild malnourished (-1SD).The findings of this study is 

similar to the research finding of baseline survey report of Tanahu district of Nepal.The study strongly 

recommend to study on the same issue in other districts and other age groups too. 

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Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. 

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 

license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 

 


