CONSUMPTION OF DRINKING WATER BY SLUM-DWELLING PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Jayesh Panot; Pradnya Jadhav; Sandhya Khadse; Sundaram Kartikeyan

Volume : IX, Issue : VIII, August - 2020

CONSUMPTION OF DRINKING WATER BY SLUM-DWELLING PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Jayesh Panot, Pradnya Jadhav, Sandhya Khadse, Sundaram Kartikeyan

Abstract :

This cross–sectional, interview–based descriptive study was conducted among 130 slum–dwelling pre–primary and primary school children (62 girls; 47.67% and 68 boys; 52.30%) to determine their patterns of consumption of drinking water. The average age of girls and boys was 5.27 +/– 1.30 years and 5.00 +/– 1.33 years, respectively. The consumption of drinking water by girls and boys was 547.98 +/– 141.73 mL per school–day and 572.79 +/– 147.35 mL per school–day, respectively, without significant gender difference (Z=0.974; p=0.329). The water consumption reported by most students was adequate for the typical five–hour school–day, but the water consumption reported by some girls was less than adequate, which needs urgent intervention. Efforts must be made to increase access of school children to drinking water in schools, to educate staff, parents and students about the importance of drinking plain water and to shift preferences of school children from sugar–sweetened beverages to water.