IMPACT OF SELF-HELP GROUPS ON THE HOUSEHOLD NUTRITION IN SEMI ARID TROPIC (SAT) VILLAGES OF MAHBOOBNAGAR DISTRICT, AP, INDIA
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Date
2014
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
The Self Help Groups (SHG) were used by the government, NGOs and others
worldwide to empower women and to give lives to the poor families. Thousands of the
poor and the marginalized population in India are building their lives, their families and
their society through self help groups. The programme area proved a way in reduction
of poverty, increasing the financial support, self confidence among the members,
decision making and entrepreneur skills. Observing the programme outcomes the
present study was under taken to evaluate the "Impact of self- help groups on the
household nutrition in Semi Arid Tropic (SAT) villages of Mahboobnagar district, AP,
India".
Socio-economic and nutritional status was assessed by collecting information on
demographic profile, income, occupation, expenditure pattern, anthropometric
measurements, clinical observation, frequency of food intake and dietary diversity and
nutrients intake difference between the SHG and Non SHG households was analysed
from the consolidated data.
The total population of SHG was 495 with 259 men and 236 women and that of
non SHG was 98 with 49 men and 49 women. The age wise distribution indicates that
67% of SHG family members were adults, followed by 19% adolescents, 12% children
and 2% infants. Among Non SHG households the percentage of adults was high with
73%, with 16% of adolescents, 7 % children and 4 % infants. Out of the 120 households
of SHGs 74% belonged to BC, while 13 % belonged to SC and 13 % of them belonged
to OC category. From the 30 Non SHGs 70% belonged to BC, 20% belonged to OC and
10 % belonged to SC communities.
The educational status of SHG household indicated that 40% of the population
was illiterate, followed by 22% had high school education, 19% had primary school
education, 7% had college education, 5% had intermediate education and 6% of them
were below five years, some of them attending anganwadi and 1 % of them were
literate to sign.
Similarly among Non SHG households 45% population was illiterate, followed
by 23% being high school educated, 9% of them were attending intermediate college
education, 7% had primary school education, 6% had college education and the
remaining 10% of them were children below five years, some of them were attending
anganwadi.
Non SHG households were spent high income on food than the SHG where as
expenditure on heath was high for the SHG than the Non SHG. The expenditure pattern
for clothing and children's education were same for the SHG and Non SHG households.
Thirty seven to 38% of children below 18 years were stunted with low
height/age (<3 percentiles) in both SHG and Non- SHG, while a quarter of children
were also mildly stunted (3-15 percentiles) in both the groups, and an average of 21% of
each of SHG and Non-SHG children were in a healthy height/ age percentile category
of 15-85. A greater percent of girls in SHG were observed with mild to severe stunting
more than boys.
Similar to height/age, about 15% to 36% each of SHG and Non-SHG children
of both the groups being in low weight for age category, indicating a mild to severe
degree of malnutrition. Among SHG boys malnutrition prevalence was observed more
while among Non SHG girls it is observed more.
Thirty seven to 23% of children below 18 years were severely underweight (<3
percentiles) in both SHG and Non SHG, while a 30% of children were also mildly
underweight (3-15 percentiles) in both the groups, and an average of 38% of each of
SHG and Non SHG children were in a healthy weight percentile category of 15-85. An
equal percent of boys and girls in Non SHG were observed with mild to severe
underweight than the SHG children.
Nineteen children of 12-60 months out of 24 of SHG and 5 out 8 of Non-SHG
were in ‘Normal MUAC’ category. While 3 children in SHG and 2 in Non-SHG were in
‘Moderate wasting’ category and 2 in SHG and 1 in Non-SHG were in ‘Severe Muscle
Wasting’ category.
Nearly 50% of men and women of SHG were in the desirable range, the
incidence of underweight was more in SHG compared to Non SHG. Relatively a high
percent of men and women of Non SHG were found to be overweight compared to
SHG suggesting differences in energy consumption and expenditure pattern and also
difference in type and quantity of energy nutrients.
Though a high percent of SHG and Non SHG adults were in the normal BMI
range, overweight was found to be high among Non SHG compared to SHG. While the
percent of underweight were same among men and women of SHG there was 6% higher
incidence of overweight among women of SHG compared to men. Among the Non
SHGs the incidence of underweight was more among men and overweight was more
among women. It was observed that nearly 1/4th of SHG and Non SHGs were facing
undernutrition and another 1/4th were found to be over nourished indicating a double
burden of under and overnutrtion among the SHG and Non SHGs.
Few of the nutritional deficiencies identified among SHG and Non SHG
household members which can be due to low intake of food.
It was observed that mostly five food groups namely cereals, vegetable-B, milk
products, oils and sugars were being consumed by the majority of SHG and Non-SHGs.
The high dietary diversity score is indicative of better food intake practices and
on an average 9% SHGs and 3% Non-SHGs were found to have such food practices.
The Medium dietary diversity group have limitations in their food intake practices,
which could be attributed to variations in income and educational status and also
availability of resources and cost concerns.
Based on the consumption of food groups data is understood that the diets are
having inadequate sources of protein as the pulse, milk and meat intake was found to be
less. Similarly the micronutrient intake would have been less due to lack of fruit intake
and meagre intakes of green leafy vegetables. Adequate cereal and sugar intake and a
higher intake of fats and oils is indicative of calorie fulfilment per CU in both SHG and
Non SHGs.
Intake of energy and proteins over the periods, while that of fat intake has
increased. It was observed that there is a correlation between the education level of the
SHG women and BMI (P >0.05) which indicates that women were maintaining healthy
BMI, and that knowledge and awareness on good eating habits was better in SHG
women. There was a significant association found between income and dietary diversity
score (P >0.05), which infers that high income levels will lead to better and varied
intake of foods among SHG households. From the correlation matrix it was understood
that there is no impact of SHG membership on the nutritional status of households.
These results indicate that SHGs have improved their food intake and prospered
over years, probably due to changes in employment opportunities, increased income
sources and increased availability of food.
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Keywords
SELF-HELP, GROUPS, HOUSEHOLD, NUTRITION, SEMI ARID TROPIC, VILLAGES, MAHBOOBNAGAR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA