Dietary intake habits among adolescent girls in North India

Adolescent girls, constituting nearly one tenth of Indian population, form a crucial segment of the society. Their nutritional status will decide the well being of the present as well as future generation. The study assessed the diet quality and nutritional status of 240 rural girls between 12-18 years of age from rural areas of Panchkula and Karnal district of Haryana State. Dietary intake data were collected by three days recall method. As a result of questionnaires and interviews, food intakes for three consecutive days were collected. Intakes of cereals, pulses, ischolar_mains and tubers, and sugar and jaggery as reported by respondents were significantly lower than the prescribed Indian recommended dietary intakes (RDI). The consumption of milk and milk products and fats and oils was adequate whereas green leafy vegetables and fruits were the most limited food items. The respondents followed a two meal pattern and their diets were monotonous and cereal based. The mean daily intake of milk and milk products, pulses, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables and fruits was grossly inadequate meeting only 46%, 37%, 28%, 36% and 5% of the suggested allowances. The intake of fats and oil seeds and ischolar_mains and tubers was somewhat adequate meeting 63% and 75% of the allowances while the intake of cereals and sugar was almost adequate revealing a deficit of less than 10%. The study further revealed not only a high incidence of under nutrition but also an inadequate energy or micronutrient intake. Therefore, sustained efforts are needed to educate rural masses regarding their increased nutritional requirements during adolescence and the need of hour is to plan and implement innovative developmental programmes to address the nutrition and health needs of rural adolescent girls in a comprehensive manner.