This complete enumeration, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in a slum area of Kalwa, in Thane city, Maharashtra state, India. Anthropometric measurements were carried out on 326 pre-school children (girls: n=146; 44.78% and boys: n=180; 55.22%) aged between 3 and 5 years, so that interventional measures could be initiated. Amongst the study participants, the gender differences in weight-for-height, body mass index and mid upper arm circumference was not statistically significant. When compared with Child Growth Standards of the Indian Association of Paediatrics, both the body mass index and mid upper arm circumference were significantly lower in both sexes, across the three age groups. The present study revealed the ubiquitous existence of under-nutrition without significant gender-related bias among pre-school children. Since under-nutrition in childhood is related to slower cognitive development and substantial deleterious health effects later in life, it is necessary to undertake a multi-pronged approach comprising maternal nutrition education, promotion of infant and young child feeding practices and nutritional supplementation programmes