Harsha Saraf’s research while affiliated with University of Rajasthan and other places

The nutritional status of 296 children in the age group of 2-3 and 3-4 years residing in squatter settlements on pavements and along roadsides in Jaipur city was determined through anthropometry. Data on weights and heights of children were collected using standardized techniques. The results revealed that the weights and heights of these children were below those of their well-to-do counterparts. In the age group of 2-3 years, as per weight for age indicator using IAP classification, 35.5% boys and 32.4% girls were in the normal category. Similarly, in the age group of 3-4 years, 14.9% boys and 18.7% girls were in the normal category. In both the age groups, the rest suffered from varying grades of malnutrition.

This study was conducted to determine the life style of roadside squatter settlers of Jaipur city through squatter settlement and family profiles. A total of 42 such settlements and 296 families were covered under the study. An interview schedule was used to elicit information on the squatters and their family profiles. The results revealed that the settlements had very limited access to water, housing, lighting, sanitation and health facilities. No regular training or education programmes had been planned for them. The mean family size in the settlements was 5.8±1.65 members. Most of the families (84.5%) had nuclear family structure. A majority of adults and children were illiterate. About 81% of the migrants were from Rajasthan and the others from nearby states. The families had main and subsidiary occupations. The main occupations included construc-tion work, blacksmithy, decoration of trucks/buses with 'jhalars'/'laris'/'chotis' (a bunch of tassles, braids), application of films on windows of four wheelers and preparation of radium number plates, pulling rickshaws and trolleys, playing drums and pipes and making plaster of paris statuettes, etc. They lived in tents. Their possessions were meager and consisted of pots, pans, cots, trunks and clothes. Personal hygienic practices were poor and sanitation left much to be desired.

The nutritional status of 281 children in the age group of 2-4 years belonging to families residing on pavements and in squatter settlements along the roadsides of Jaipur city was assessed in terms of nutrient intakes. The mean intakes of energy, total fat, calcium, iron, carotenes, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid were below the RDAs, except for protein and thiamin intakes. No statistically significant differences in the nutrient intakes of boys and girls were observed.