Diet quality and nutritional status of rural adolescent girl beneficiaries of ICDS in north India

This study assessed the diet quality and nutritional status of beneficiaries of Adolescent Girl scheme, a national programme targeted towards their nutrition/health needs. 209 girls (aged 11-21 years) from six rural blocks Delhi (Alipur, Kanjhawala and Mehrauli), Haryana (Madhosinghana), Rajasthan (Deeg) and Uttar Pradesh (Fatehpur Sikri) comprised the sample. Weight and height were measured and dietary intake data were gathered by one day 24 Floor Recall coupled with Food Frequency approach. Incidence of thinness ('BMI for age' < 5th percentile) and stunting ('height for age' < 3rd percentile) was 30.6% and 29.7%. The subjects followed a two-meal Pattern and their diets were monotonous and cereal-based. 49.3% of them were found to have energy intake less than 75% of RDA while a substantial proportion of them had inadequate nutrient intake (NAR < 0.66) with respect to most of the micronutrients especially iron (84.7%), folic acid (79.4%) and vitamin A (73.2%). The mean daily intake of milk and milk products, pulses, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables and fruits was grossly inadequate meeting only 47%, 36%, 26%, 34% and 3% of the suggested allowances; that of fats/oils and roots/tubers was somewhat adequate meeting 65% and 72% of the allowances while the intake of cereals and sugar was almost adequate revealing a deficit of only 7% and 3%. The study reveals not only a high incidence of under-nutrition but also an inadequate energy/micronutrient intake among the beneficiaries of Adolescent Girl scheme. Therefore, sustained efforts are needed to strengthen the scheme for improving its field-level implementation.