AbstractBackground: School children, aged between 6-15 years form one fifth of our country’s population. They are the neglected group and do not receive as much attention as the under fives enjoy. Providing comprehensive health care to them should be sought as they are the country’s future. So, the present study was conducted to determine the nutritional status of school children and also to know the morbidity pattern among them. Methods: The present cross sectional study was carried out in all the primary and high schools, covered under Vantamuri Primary Health Centre, District Belgaum. Data collection was done under the ‘Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya Karyakrama’, conducted between 1st August to 31st August 2012. Results: A total of 5203 (79.1%) students were present on the day of examination. Among them, 52.6% were boys and 47.5% were girls. Of the total children examined, underweight, stunting and wasting was present in 21.2%, 21.7% and 24.9% respectively. One or the other morbidity was present in 92.1% of the children. Dental caries, anemia and defective vision were more prevalent among adolescents.
Keywords: School children; Wasting; Stunting; Underweight; Morbidity pattern; Primary health centre.