Journal Article Ahead of print
PubMed: 42105370 DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2026.2671336
Is Self-Reported Morbidity Associated with Nutritional Status? A Community-Based Study Among Urban Slum Dwelling Adult Males in West Bengal, India.
Ecol Food Nutr
Authors: Pradip Hore, Kaushik Bose, Raja Chakraborty
Affiliations
- Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, India.
- Department of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India.
Abstract
Self-reported morbidity (SRM) is used in public health studies to assess community health profile and awareness. SRM was associated with socioeconomic status more sensitively than objective health measures. However, its usefulness was critically questioned for the plausible bias of subjective social experience. The present study assessed whether anthropometric profile, as objective marker of health, significantly varied according to SRM status among urban adult male slum dwellers. This study included 474 adult men. Height, weight, and skinfolds thicknesses were measured and body mass index was computed. Morbidity was recorded as self-reported incidence of any illness during the previous 30 days and also for the previous one year excluding 30 days prior to the study. All the anthropometric measures, except height, had the lowest values in repeated illness group and the highest in the group reporting no illness. The study clearly indicated that SRM was a sensitive indicator of nutritional status.
MeSH
Ecology, Public Health, Food, Morbidity, Nutritional Status