Transition of Diet from Mother's Chilhood to Children and its Impact on their Health and Nutritional Status of Rural Anganwadi Centre

Among children between the age of 6 and 59 months, a majority (70%) are anaemic. Nearly 3/4 (75%) of women in India are anaemic. The ICDS scheme was launched on 2^nd October 1975 as a centrally sponsored project with one of its core aim to improve the nutritional and health status of pregnant and lactating mothers and children below six years. The main objective of the study was to assess the diet transition from mother's childhood to children and its impact on health and nutrition status of mother and children. There was no any remarkable difference in the diet of the mother and children. The SNP provided to the pre-school children at AWCs fulfils the only partial dietary requirement. Dietary pattern of mother and children showed that Bhat and Sabji was the major food stuff of their diet. There was lack of milk, green leafy vegetable, fruit, pulse and non-vegetarian in diet. Sattu was one of the main foods in diet sources. All mother and children belonged to BPL family; there was lack of availability and accessibility of adequate diet. Due to hardworking of mothers only 28 per cent got morning diet. Only 10 per cent mothers and 28 per cent children were getting adequate diet, resulting 70 per cent mothers underweight and 80 per cent mothers anaemic, whereas, 52 per cent children undernourished. For the improvement of the dietary intake and nutritional status of mother and children of rural areas, improvement of the services of SNP/THR and Nutrition Health Education of ICDS are must.