Effect of Nutrition Intervention on Nutritional Status and Lifestyle Pattern of the Selected Tribal Girls 10 to 15 from Kannur and Wayanad Districts of Kerala

Abstract

The area selected for the present study was Aralam Panchayat of Kannur and Pulpally Panchayat of Wayanad District of Kerala State. There is a consensus agreement that the health status of the tribal population is very poor and worst among the primitive tribes because of their isolation, remoteness and being largely unaffected by the development processes going on in the country. Since research in these areas of tribal young girl s health status is scant, it would be of immense value to study their health status, nutritional and cultural pattern to acquire knowledge related to these aspects. As a tribal young girl occupies an important place in the future of her own tribal society. As well as, there is an urgent need to uplift their health and nutritional status. Focusing this, diversified efforts and concerted endeavors have to be undertaken to promote their health and nutritional status. From this study it revealed that tribal young girls aged between 10-15 years of Aralam and Pulpally tribal areas of Kerala were economically weaker and poorly accessible to basic amenities including health care system and they were the least beneficiaries from their own community and needed extra care and support. Nutritional anemic symptoms were clinically observed among the selected tribal girls. The study also proved the need of intervention for improving reproductive health care practices and lifestyle modification. Intervention strategies including nutrition garden at door steps, nutrition education, personal hygienic and menstrual hygienic practices through personal and focused group discussion were proved to be effective from the observation of improved changes in knowledge, attitude and practices among experimental group of subjects as compared to control group in the nutrition intervention phase of the study. Through constant communication and guidance the selected subjects were aware of the importance of their health and started to follow healthy dietary pattern and life style.