The major global health problem faced by the developing
countries today is malnutrition.17 The causes of malnutrition
are multi-factorial, with dietary and environmental factors
contributing to the risks of malnutrition in children.18 In the
present study, among the total of 505 families studied 74.0%
were females and 26.0% were males, and among 411 children
52.6% were girls and 47.4% were boys. Similarly, Dabone et al.5
found that the percentage of girls (52.4%) was slightly higher
than that of boys (47.6%), and in Garhwal Himalayas the
percentage of girls was 7% more than that of boys.19 In
contrast, Gobostswang20 reported that the percentage of boys
was 51% higher than that of girls 49%. Parental education had
been identified as a predictor of undernutrition; we found that
most parents either completed their basic education or were
illiterate, and their average income was low. Similarly,
Moestue and Huttly21 found that 53% of mothers and 63% of