Anshi Goel ¹, A. Thirumani Devi ², K. Kalaivani ¹, Prema Ramachandran ¹

Affiliations
1 Nutrition Foundation of India, New Delhi - 110 016, IN
2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043, IN

Abstract

 Currently India is experiencing dual nutrition burden. Prevalence of both under and over nutrition is reported to be higher in women as compared to men. Over nutrition rates in Delhi are among the highest in India. A mixed longitudinal study was undertaken to assess nutritional status of urban women from low middle income families. Between January 2015 and December 2017, 4155 non-pregnant non-lactating women were enrolled for this observational study. These women belonged to food secure low middle income families. They were living in highly congested urban localities in one or two room tenements and had no access to public spaces where they could go for walk or discretionary physical activities. In all women, height was measured at enrolment. Efforts were made to measure weight, mid upper arm, waist and hip circumferences once in three months. Prevalence of under nutrition (BMI < 18.5) in the 18-29 years age group was 12.1%, but 33.9% had BMI of ≥25. There was a progressive increase in over-nutrition, high waist and hip circumferences with increasing age; 68.4% of women aged 50 years and above were over-nourished. None of the undernourished women had waist circumference ≥ 80 cm; among the normally nourished 8.5% and in the over-nourished women 3/4th had waist circumference above 80cm. Hip circumference showed a similar trend but prevalence of ≥ 102 cm was lower. Prevalence of over nutrition, truncal and abdominal adiposity was high in women from Delhi low middle income families.

Keywords

Dual Nutrition Burden, Over Nutrition, Non-Pregnant Women, Bmi, Anthropometric Measurement.

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Anshi Goel ¹, Thirumani Devi A. ², Kalaivani K. ¹, Prema Ramachandran ¹

Affiliations
1 Nutrition Foundation of India, C-13, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016, IN
2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore-641 043, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

In India breast feeding is universal. Studies carried out in the 1980s have shown that in women from low income families, lactation during the first six months was associated with weight loss. Over time there has been substantial reduction in under-nutrition across all groups including lactating women and over-nutrition has emerged as a public health problem. A study was taken up to assess the impact of universal and prolonged lactation on nutritional status and adiposity in 2240 women from urban low middle income group; 83.5% were 18-29 years of age and 16.5% were 30 years or older. As lactating women had to meet the energy cost of milk production, they weighed less and had lower mean BMI, MUAC, HC and WC as compared to non-lactating women. Prevalence of under-nutrition was higher and over-nutrition was lower in lactating women as compared to non-lactating women. In this community, prevalence of under-nutrition was low and lactation was not associated with persistent deterioration in nutritional status in either of the age groups; identifying lactating women who are under-nourished, providing them with nutrition education and take home rations continuously and monitoring their improvement may result in steep reduction in under-nutrition rates. Prevalence of over-nutrition in lactating women especially in ≥ 30 year age group was high; over-nutrition rates increased with waning lactation. Nutrition and health education on importance of increasing physical activity and interventions to promote discretionary physical activity are urgently required to halt the rise in over-nutrition and risk of non-communicable diseases in these women.

Keywords

Adiposity, Abdominal Adiposity, Duration Of Lactation, Low Middle Income Families, Over Nutrition, Under-Nutrition, Urban Women.

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