Availability of Irrigation Water for Domestic Use in Pakistan: Its Impact on Prevalence of Diarrhoea and Nutritional Status of Children (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Malnutrition is a major problem in Pakistan. In the last nationwide survey carried out during 1990-1994, 36.3% of children aged less than five years were stunted (too short), 14.2% wasted (too thin), and 40.0% underweight (too light) (1). The mean per-capita intake of calories and protein in Pakistan in 1997 was above the recommended dietary allowance (2). Gross inequalities in intake of food between population groups are, of course, not reflected in aggregate national figures, but factors other than insufficient availability of food may play a role in causing malnutrition. Infectious diseases, especially diarrhoea, are considered direct causes of malnutrition. A child aged less than five years in a developing country typically suffers from several episodes of diarrhoea each year.