Using a random start, fixed interval method of population proportionate sampling,
the survey teams visited 219 villages in rural Nepal and collected data on height, weight,
and age from 6501 preschool children. During training and at specific times during the
survey, systematic standardization methods were utilized to improve the quality of the
collected data. Using 80 % of the reference median weight-for-height as the cut-off point,
the prevalence of acute undernutrition was 6.7 %. Using 900% of the reference median
height-for-age as the cut-off point, the prevalence of chronic undernutrition was 520%.
The prevalence of chronic undernutrition was significantly higher in the hilly areas. Mean
haemoglobin values of blood samples collected from one-fifth of the survey population
increased with age with no difference between hill and terai areas. A Nepal urban elite
population was measured for comparison. The survey method used indicators that are
economical in terms of money, time, and personnel and that provide objective data on
the extent and distribution ofprotein/energy undernutrition and of low haemoglobin values
in preschoool children.