Nutritional profile of kanikkar women in Amboori area
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Date
1989
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Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
A study to assess the nutritional profile of Kanikkar women in Amboori area was conducted through ecological, socio-economic and food consumption survey, anthropometric, clinical and biochemical assessment and through time and motion studies.
The results of the survey conducted in eight Kanikkar hamlets which comprise 177 families depicted that all the families are of Hindu faith, with an average family size of four. Majority of the families are of nuclear type with equal literacy level among men and women. 65 per cent of the families surveyed are below the poverty line. 85 percent of the tribal families spend more than 80 percent of their income on food. Among food articles the major expenditure is towards the purchase of cereals, followed by fish and oil seeds (coconut). Tapioca which is the most popular food is completely home produced. Their culinary practices are similar to those adopted by the rural families residing around and elsewhere in the state. Only 50 percent of the tribal families surveyed are in the habit of preserving foods. Three meal-a-day system is adopted by them.
The weighment survey revealed that the diets of the women are quantitatively inadequate in all food groups except roots and tubers, fish and other vegetables (with seasonal variations). The average consumption of cereals range from 75g to 95g per day. Pulses, milk, milk products and meat are lacking in their diets. They compensated for their lesser intake of cereals with an excess intake of roots and tubers (tapioca) fish and other vegetables. In general the diets of the Kanikkar women are deficient in all nutrients except vitamin C. No special food is prepared in the tribal homes for the infants. They follow food restrictions during illness and certain foods are given or with held by them for girls at menarch and for women in the post - delivery period. Alcoholism, betel chewing and smoking are common among them.
An attitude survey among the women to test their knowledge about food and nutrition revealed that they are not aware of persons requiring special feeding in a family or effect of food on the body. Anthropometric data of the tribal women revealed gross inadequacy in the weight for–height-for-age profile. Estimations of haemoglobin level showed that 60percent of the women tested are anemic, in addition vitamin A deficiency (30percent) and niacin deficiency (10 percent) have also been noted. Time and motion studies showed that the tribal house wife spend maximum time for agricultural activities, cooking and going to the market and minimum time for personal and child care. The size of the family, number of acres of land possessed by the family and number of adult women in the family have no significant effect on time utilization pattern of the house-wife.
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