Gopal Chandra Mandal - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Gopal Chandra Mandal

Italian Journal of Public Health, Sep 13, 2012

Background: the prevalence of child obesity is increasing rapidly worldwide. In developing countr... more Background: the prevalence of child obesity is increasing rapidly worldwide. In developing countries such as India, especially in urban populations, childhood obesity is emerging as a major health problem. In view of these contexts, the present study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in an urban population of girl adolescent students attending the English Medium School in kolkata, India. MEthodS: a total of 571 girl students, aged 12-18 years, were evaluated. cole et al. (2000) recommended cutoff points were utilized to assess overweight and obesity. rESultS: the overall prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 28.5% and 4.2% respectively. the rate of overweight was the highest when compared with that of different parts of India, including kolkata, and also when compared to rates from the uSa and great Britain. concluSIonS: in the context of the present study, it can be presumed that, the higher prevalence of overweight in these school children may be due to their eating habits, as well as to their lack of awareness on proper eating habits. In addition, low involvement in physical activities may also have influenced the rate of overweight and obesity. thus, it can be concluded that the study definitely highlighted the existence of an obesity threat, which is likely to persist among Bengalee school children of wealthier families.

Human Biology and Public Health

Increasing amounts of anthropogenic contaminants have heavily polluted the atmosphere. This is on... more Increasing amounts of anthropogenic contaminants have heavily polluted the atmosphere. This is one of the global environmental problems. Deposition of atmospheric contaminants on the earth’s surface brings potential risks to human health. This review aims to identify risks posed by lead in the atmosphere and its impact on human health. Lead is one of the most dangerous toxic metals found in the earth’s crust. The lead-induced toxicity through oxidative stress mechanisms includes the effect of lead on membranes, DNA, and antioxidant defense systems of the cells. It affects various target sites including lungs, blood vessels, brain, testes, and liver. Acute exposure to high doses of lead is not the only source of lead-based neurotoxicity. Acute low-dose exposure also produces measurable effects on the nervous system. The most severe neurological effect of lead exposure is lead encephalopathy, a response to very high doses of lead that results in the development of irritability, headac...

The Oriental Anthropologist: A Bi-annual International Journal of the Science of Man

The incidence of hypertension (HTN) is on rise across the globe. It is the highest in low-income ... more The incidence of hypertension (HTN) is on rise across the globe. It is the highest in low-income countries and the obesity/adiposity have a great impact on that. The aim of the present study was to find out the association between some measures of adiposity with blood pressure (BP) levels and to identify the gold standard in determining HTN. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 159 adolescent school going children from a suburban area near Lucknow, India. T-test, correlation coefficient and the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analyses were utilized to measure the potential predictors of HTN. Significant sexual dimorphisms were noticed in case of waist circumference (WC), systolic BP (SBP) and mean arterial BP (MAP). The differences of hip circumference (HC) and body mass index (BMI) among the normotensive and hypertensive participants were statistically ( p < .05) significant. Considering the association of SBP, diastolic BP (DBP), MAP and pulse pressure ...

Mankind Quarterly, 2021

Malnutrition during childhood is still prevalent in parts of the world, with over three-quarters ... more Malnutrition during childhood is still prevalent in parts of the world, with over three-quarters of the world’s malnourished children living in Southern Asia including India. Childhood malnutrition is a serious concern because it can affect the growth potential and the risk of morbidity and mortality in later life. Head circumference (HC) is one measure for evaluating the nutritional status of children during the first years of life when brain and skull are still growing. The present study assesses the nutritional status of Rajbanshi children in North Bengal by using WHO (2007) recommended cutoff points for head circumference. Age-combined mean HC was slightly higher among boys (46.8 cm) than girls (45.7 cm). We found the expected gradual increase of mean values with rising age of the children. The overall prevalence of age- and sex-combined malnutrition according to WHO cutoffs was 20.5%, 18.8% among boys and 22.2% among girls. The difference between boys and girls was not statistically significant. Regular monitoring of the physical status of children who are at risk of malnutrition is recommended.

In the modern world or present era, advent and spread of technology has proved diverse communicat... more In the modern world or present era, advent and spread of technology has proved diverse communication tools, techniques and resources that enable connectivity in a virtual environment at any point of time. Wireless communication has emerged as one of the fastest diffusing media on the planet, fuelling an emergent “mobile youth culture”. In India too, we note that the scenario is similar with people from both rural and urban areas, educated or illiterate, and belonging to almost all ages; now dependent on a cellular phone. The effect of mobile phone radiation has on human health is the subject of recent interest & study, as a result of the enormous increase in mobile phone usage throughout the world. The objectives of the present study was the pattern and dependence on mobile phones and to find out the awareness about health hazards of it among the college going students of Kolkata. The present study was conducted among the 100 (50 boys and 50 girls) enrolled students of Bangabasi Col...

Journal of Nutritional Therapeutics, 2017

Background: Primary school age is a dynamic period of physical growth and mental development of t... more Background: Primary school age is a dynamic period of physical growth and mental development of the child. Research indicates that nutritional deficiencies and poor health in primary school age children are among the causes of low school enrolment, high absenteeism, early dropout and poor classroom performance. Chronic undernutrition is linked to slower cognitive development and serious health impairments later in life that reduce the quality of life. The thinness (low BMI for age) may be one of the tool to measure the level of undernutrition. Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the different grades of thinness by using age and sex specific cut off values based on body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted at Bali-Gram Panchayat, Arambagh, West Bengal, India. The data were collected from 618 rural Bengalee primary school children comprising of both boys (304) and girls (314) within the age group 5-11 years. The measurements (height in cm. and weight in kg) were taken following standard methods Thinness was evaluated using the age and sex specific cutoff points of BMI. Results: The overall (age combined) prevalence of thinness among the boys was slightly higher (83.2%) in comparison to the prevalence of thinness among the girls (81.5%). The prevalence of thinness was higher in case of lower age group children among both boys and girls and it gradually decreases with the increase of age. The rate of grade III thinness (30.5%) was greater among the girls than others while among the boys it was higher in grade I (32.9%) category. It indicates the severity of thinness was much more among the girls than the boys. Although there was no significant sex difference between the two sexes. Conclusion: The prevalence of undernutrition as measured by thinness was significantly higher than the national level scenario. In spite of the Mid Day Meal scheme which is running for more than 20 years, the result is dissatisfactory. The competent authority should look into the matter seriously for better nutritional and health condition of the children.

The Internet Journal of Pediatrics and Neonatology, 2009

A cross sectional observational study of 894 children (441 boys and 453 girls) was undertaken at ... more A cross sectional observational study of 894 children (441 boys and 453 girls) was undertaken at 20 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme Centres to determine their nutritional status using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in Bali Gram Panchayet, Arambag, Hooghly District of West Bengal, India. The study area consists of remote villages located approximately 100 km from Kolkata, the provincial capital of West Bengal. Information on age and ethnicity (all were of Bengalee Hindu ethnicity) of the children were collected from their parents following face to face interview and verified from official records. The measurement (in centimeters) was taken by the first author (GCM) following the standard technique. Nutritional status was determined following the World Health Organization age and sex-specific cutoff points. Results revealed that mean MUAC among boys was higher than girls at all ages except 5 years. Significant sex differences were observed at ages 3 (p < 0.005) and 4 (p < 0.05) years. The age-combined rates of overall (moderate + severe) undernutrition were similar in both sexes (boys = 66.2%; girls = 62.9%). This result implied that both the sexes were experiencing similar nutritional stress. The age-combined rates of moderate (boys = 57.4%; girls = 51.7%) and severe (boys = 8.8%; girls = 11.2%) undernutrition were also similar in both sexes. In general, there was an increasing trend in the rates of overall undernutrition from 3 to 5 years in both sexes. years affected by severe and moderate acute malnutrition were 44.85%, 18.07% and 2.29% respectively. In conclusion, our study clearly indicated that the nutritional status of these preschool children was serious with very high rates of undernutrition in both sexes. Thus, it seems that there is scope for much improvement in the form of enhanced supplementary nutrition than what is currently being offered by the ICDS scheme in Arambag, Hooghly District of West Bengal. Therefore, it is imperative that the ICDS authorities urgently consider the enhancement of the supplementary nutrition being currently given to them.

Journal of Nutritional Therapeutics, 2015

Background: Undernutrition appears to be a plaguing factor for physical and cognitive development... more Background: Undernutrition appears to be a plaguing factor for physical and cognitive development of a large proportion of Indian children living in impoverished conditions. The city of Kolkata, located in the eastern part of India has demonstrated a conspicuous rise in its slum growth profile in the past few decades. Hitherto, studies on physical growth and nutritional status of slum children are lacking. Objectives: To Investigate the nutritional status (stunting, wasting, and underweight) among 2-8 year old children and to observe the association of socioeconomic factors with undernutrition of the studied children. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 185 children aged 2 to 8 years residing at slums of Tangra, Behala, and Dum Dum regions of Kolkata. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were take following standard protocol (Lohman et al., 1988), Socioeconomic information were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Stunting, Underweight and Wasting were derived to evaluate the nutritional status of the studied population. Pearson correlation (r) coefficient test was undertaken to measure the association of some socioeconomic variables on undernutrition. Results: The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting were 38.91% (boys 32.14% and girls 45.45%), 50.27% (boys 51.16%, girls 49.49%), 31.35% (boys 30.23%, girls 32.32%) respectively. The present study showed the positive correlation (r) between educational levels of the parents and stunting, underweight and wasting independently. But household size has a negative correlation with all the three measures of nutritional status. Conclusion: We conclude that the slum children were facing a nutritional health risk and parental education and household size appeared to be the primary reasons.

International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, 2014

ABSTRACT Primary school age is a dynamic period of physical growth and mental development of the ... more ABSTRACT Primary school age is a dynamic period of physical growth and mental development of the child. Child nutritional status is an essential component of a country's overall human development. The strength of a nation in the future will be determined by how healthy and educated its people are. The tribal populations are among the most underprivileged and undernourished people in India. The nutritional status of Santal tribal children, as measured by thinness, has not been investigated. The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of thinness among the primary school children of Santals of Bali-Gram Panchayat, Arambag, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. The overall mean (sd) BMI among boys and girls were 13.7 (0.9) and 13.2 (1.6), respectively. The overall prevalence of thinness was 75.95%. Both sexes had similar rates of thinness: boys = 75.9%; girls = 76.0%. The χ² test revealed that there were no significant sex differences in the overall rate of thinness among the studied Santal children. The results of the present study clearly indicated that the nutritional situation as measured by thinness of these children was not satisfactory. Appropriate nutritional intervention and policies are required.

Objective: Under-nutrition continues to be a primary cause of ill-health and premature mortality ... more Objective: Under-nutrition continues to be a primary cause of ill-health and premature mortality among children in developing countries. Present study attempted to assess the overall prevalence of undernutrition using composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) among rural preschool children of Arambag,

PubMed, Apr 1, 2010

The three conventional anthropometric indicators of childhood undernutrition are stunting (low he... more The three conventional anthropometric indicators of childhood undernutrition are stunting (low height-for-age), underweight (low weight-for-age) and wasting (low weight-for-height). Recently a new composite index, namely the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) has been proposed and utilised to study childhood undernutrition. In this paper, we have attempted to construct three new indices of undernutrition, relative to the CIAF. These three indices are: Stunting Index (SI) = Stunting / CIAF, Underweight Index (UI) = Underweight / CIAF and Wasting Index (WI) = Wasting / CIAF. Furthermore, we have calculated and compared these indices using our dataset as well as other existing datasets. Using our dataset, the sex-combined values of SI, UI and WI were 0.364, 0.866 and 0.684, respectively. The corresponding values among boys were 0.364, 0.866 and 0.729. Among girls, they were 0.380, 0.866 and 0.641, respectively. When applied to the all India dataset, the values of SI, UI and WI were 0.756, 0.788 and 0.266, respectively. Similar values (SI = 0.723, UI = 0.681, WI = 0.294) were observed when they were computed on data available from Coimbatore, South India. In conclusion, we suggest that these three new indices provide additional information on the prevalence of different forms of undernutrition relative to the total level of undernutrition in a particular population.

Journal of life sciences, Jan 2, 2017

Knowledge of the body composition in terms of fat and fat-free mass is used in pediatrics to esti... more Knowledge of the body composition in terms of fat and fat-free mass is used in pediatrics to estimate a child's nutritional status and the prevalence of obesity in children and youth. The present cross-sectional study focused to evaluate the relationship of age, sex and Body Mass Index (BMI) with body fat composition measures among preschool children of Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambagh, Hooghly District in West Bengal, India.A total of 1,012 children (boys = 498. girls = 514) aged 2-6 years were measured. Significant age and sex variations were found in BMI and the body composition measures. Sex specific correlation of age with six body composition variables (except BMI) showed highly significant (p < 0.01) positive correlations except only in one, that is, PBF among boys, which showed a negative correlation. Sex specific correlation of BMI with other five body composition variables showed significant positive correlations (p< 0.01) between both the sexes. Authors have a weaker correlation among boys (r = 0.12) compared to much stronger correlation among girls (r=0.72) in case of PBF.

Italian Journal of Public Health, 2008

Background: Childhood undernutrition is a major public health problem in developing countries. In... more Background: Childhood undernutrition is a major public health problem in developing countries. In view of this, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the rates of stunting, underweight and wasting among 2-6 year old rural children of Bengalee ethnicity. Methods: In this study, 20 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Centres of Bali gram panchayet, Arambag, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India, were selected. A total of 1012 (boys = 498; girls = 514) 2-6 year old children were studied. Height-forage (HAZ), weight-forage (WAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) <-2 z-scores were used to evaluate stunting, underweight and wasting, respectively, following the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Guidelines. Classification of severity of malnutrition was done based on the World Health Organization recommendations. Results: Boys were significantly heavier than girls at ages 2-4 years; they were significantly taller at ages 2 and 4. Significant age differences existed in mean height and weight in both sexes. Mean HAZ, WAZ and WHZ were less than those of NCHS for both sexes at all ages. The overall (age and sex combined) rates of stunting, underweight and wasting were 26.6 %, 63.3 % and 50.0 %, respectively. The prevalence of stunting (boys = 24.9 %; girls = 28.2 %), and underweight (b = 62.2 %; g = 64.4 %) was higher among girls whereas that of wasting was higher among boys (b = 52.4 %; g = 47.4 %). Based on World Health Organization classification of severity of malnutrition, the overall prevalence of stunting was medium (20-29 %), whereas those of underweight (≥ 30 %) and wasting (≥ 15 %) were very high, in both sexes. Conclusions: The nutritional status of the subjects was unsatisfactory indicating a major public health problem. There is scope for much improvement in the form of enhanced supplementary nutrition.

Anthropology, Dec 31, 2020

Background Sitting height (SH), sub ischial leg length (SILL) and the sitting height/leg length r... more Background Sitting height (SH), sub ischial leg length (SILL) and the sitting height/leg length ratio (SH/SILL) are useful tools for assessing human body proportions. They are often used to detect the presence of abnormal growth, especially in school-aged children. Materials and Methods Our cross-sectional study was conducted among 1012 preschool children aged 2 to 6-years from Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme centers at Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambagh, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. Anthropometric measurements like height, weight, SH were measured following standard protocol. Results There was no age combined significant sex difference in any variable. However, age specific sex differences were there in few age groups. Highly significant (p<0.001) age variations existed in all variables. The body mass index (BMI) was significantly (p<0.01) negatively correlated with SILL (r=-0.443), SILLP (r=-0.302) and UTL (r=-0.346) in both sexes. It was significantly (p<0.01) positively associated with UTLP (r=0.302). Moreover, SILL was significantly positively correlated with UTL in both sexes (boys, r=0.821 and girls, r=0.871; p<0.01), whereas it was significantly negatively associated with UTLP (boys, r=-0.590 and girls, r=-0.552; p<0.01) in the participants. Conclusion Our results suggest that, in both sexes, there were significant age differences in SILL, SILLP, upper trunk length (UTL) and unified technology learning platform (UTLP). The BMI had significant associations with these variables in both sexes. Moreover, SILL had significant correlation with UTL and UTLP among the participants.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, Jun 5, 2021

Introduction: The three conventional indices were insufficient to measure overall prevalence of c... more Introduction: The three conventional indices were insufficient to measure overall prevalence of child undernutrition and hence it was proposed to construct a Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF). Objectives: To evaluate the overall burden of undernutrition using CIAF in primary school children of a rural area in West Bengal, India. Method: A cross sectional study was carried out among 618 children (304 boys and 314 girls) from Government aided primary schools of Bali Gram

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2021

Anthropology – Open Journal, 2020

IntroductionThe prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing during the last three decades... more IntroductionThe prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing during the last three decades (1). Obese children are those who are 20 percent above the normal weight for age and they are more prone to become overweight adults as the tendency of obesity in such children persists throughout the life (2). The risk of obesity is two or three times greater for an individual with a family history of obesity and increases further with severe obesity (2). The most significant long-term consequence of obesity is the tracking of obesity from childhood to adulthood and its contribution to adult obesity-related morbidity and mortality (3,4). Obesity has emerged as an epidemic in developed and developing countries during the last quarter of the 20th century affecting high and middle income people (5). The epidemic of childhood obesity is a major public health problem in US, where in 2003-04, 26.2% of children aged 2-5years, 37.2% of children aged 6-11 years and 34.3% of adolescents 12-19 yr...