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Subject: Food and Nutrition × Author: Behl, Aastha × Start date: 2020 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional status and dietary diversity of children residing in local orphanages in Ludhiana city of Punjab
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2022) Behl, Aastha; Navjot Kaur
    The children residing in local orphanages in Ludhiana city of Punjab were assessed for their nutritional status, dietary diversity and general intelligence. A sample of 50 subjects were selected from Bal Bhawan orphanage while 40 subjects were selected from Shri Balaji Prem Ashram orphanage. Majority of subjects i.e., 57.77 percent were females and 36.66 percent were double orphans. The subjects were further divided into 7-9 years, 10-12 and 13-15 years age group. The results revealed that about 53.33 percent of subjects were having low dietary diversity, the lowest of which was found in 13-15 years age group (76.92%). The average daily food intake of cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, milk and milk products, fruits and nuts and oilseeds were below the standards set by ICMR 2020. However, the intake of fats and oil was exceeding the suggested intake in 7-9 years (34.88±10.41 g/d) and intake of sugar and jaggery was adequate in 13-15 years age group. The percent adequacy of nutrient intake did not meet the recommendations for energy and micronutrients. Percent adequacy of carbohydrates was too high in all the age groups (134.40%, 146.61% and 192.40%) whereas of protein and fat exceeding the recommendations in 7-9 age group (117.51% and 119.50% respectively). About 21.11 percent, 22.22 percent and 22.22 percent subjects were stunted, underweight and overweight/obese respectively. Almost 73 percent subjects were anaemic and 10 percent were suffering from severe anaemia. Clinical signs depicted pigmentation of skin, mottled enamel and pale skin in 56.25, 38.46 and 28.12 percent of subjects. In terms of intellectual abilities, 36.66% fell in Grade III/Average category followed by Grade IV/Below Average (25.55%) and Grade V/Defective category (18.88%). The mean intelligence test scores of 13-15 years age group was found to be increasing significantly (p<0.05) with the dietary diversity of subjects. A positive correlation was observed between dietary intake of iron and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Disease-free subjects, good hygiene practices and diversified diet contributed to improvement in BMI for age percentiles. Later, nutrition counselling and demonstrations were given for the caretakers and children at the orphanages. Thus, the study recommends awareness sessions to encourage the consumption of diversified diet containing food from all the food groups to improve the nutritional status and intelligence scores of children.