Dietary Adequacy of school Going Children in Selected Areas of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The objective of the study was to analyse the diet of 7-9 year school going children. A total of 200 school going children were selected from four different of two Districts of Himachal Pradesh viz. Kangra and Kullu were selected, with one rural and one urban block of each District nutritional status of children were determined by standard procedures. Information regarding socioeconomic background, dietary habits, frequency of consumption of foods and clinical symptoms were recorded. Data on dietary intake was collected by 24 hour recall method and analysed for food and nutrient intake which was calculated and compared with Recommended Dietary Intake/ Recommended Dietary Allowances. Results indicate that most of the rural and urban blocks school children had nuclear families and belonged to SC castes. Regarding family income 66% and 52% of the families of school children had family income Rs. 2000-4000/-. A large percentage of (80% and 77%) selected school children were non-vegetarian. Intake of all the food groups such as cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, milk and milk products, sugar and jaggery was lower than RDI, but intake of fat was significant (P≤0.05) in all selected school children. Intake of protein, energy, calcium, iron, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin was lower than RDA. Intake of fat and ascorbic acid was more than RDA in all the subjects