Impact of dietary intervention on nutritional status of anemic adolescent girls of Kangra district HP

Abstract

newline The present study was planned and executed with the specific objective to study the impact of dietary and nutrition intervention on moderately anemic adolescent girls. A total of 300 adolescent girls aged-12-18 years were selected from Panchrukhi, Baijnath and Bhawarna blocks of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. Their socio-economic profile, dietary pattern, nutrient intake, anthropometric profile, hemoglobin level and knowledge/perceptions regarding anemia and related aspects were examined. Analysis of these indicators gave evidence of a better socio-economic status in terms of education, type of house and accessibility to drinking water. The intake of cereals, pulses, fruits and green leafy vegetables was less than suggested dietary intake thereby lowering their mean daily intake of energy, protein, vitamin and minerals in comparison to RDA. Majority of subjects irrespective of age group met standard height above 90 per cent and in range of 75.31-85.86 percent for weight when compared with ICMR and NCHS standards. Based on their hemoglobin level, 77.33 % of the adolescent girls had moderate anemia,12.33 % mild anemia,6.33 per cent had severe anemia and only 4 per cent were having normal hemoglobin. Soaking, drying and roasting of garden cress seeds reduced its pungency and increased the total iron, ionisable iron, soluble iron and percent bio-availability of iron and other minerals. Among various developed recipes, variant -2 of ladoo and mathri that constituted processed garden cress seeds was highly acceptable. Based on hemoglobin values, 90 moderately anemic adolescent girls were screened out and divided into three groups for intervention programme. Group I received sweet and savoury preparations on alternate days of 20 g of ladoo and mathri each that provided 100 per cent of RDA for iron. Group II received nutrition counselling only and Group III was control as it did not receive any type of intervention. A very positive impact of intervention was observed in experimental groups i.e. group I