Nutritional status of rural vs urban school going children consuming mid day meal: A comparative study
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
The present study was undertaken in Hisar district of Haryana state. Govt. Primary School of
Hisar city and Govt. Primary School of Mangali village of Hisar I block were selected as per the
demand of study. A sample of 100 rural and 100 urban respondents of 5-10 year age were taken, thus
to make a total sample of 200 school going children. Anthropometric measurements, analysis of
blood and dietary intake (24-h recall method) were used to assess the nutritional status of rural and
urban school going children who were consuming Mid Day Meal. Their intake of pulses and green
leafy vegetables was significantly lower than RDI. Significant differences were found in cereals
(t=3.17*), roots and tuber (t= 3.51*), other vegetables (t= 10.64*), green leafy vegetables (t=5.49*),
milk and milk products (t=9.65*) and sugar and jaggery (t=6.03*) in the daily diets of rural and urban
respondents. Intake of iron, zinc and vitamin A was significantly lower than their respective RDAs.
Areawise comparison showed that rural diet were significantly higher in protein, iron and zinc
content than urban diet. Out of 200 school going children, 32.5 per cent were underweight, 27.5 per
cent stunted while 17 per cent children were wasted; out of them 5.5, 8 and 3.5 per cent were severely
underweight, stunted and wasted, respectively. Urban children were more wasted (27%) and
underweight (34%) than rural school going children (7 and 31 %). Similarly, magnitude of wasting
(26.5%) and underweight (42.1%) was higher in girls in comparison to boys (10.2 % wasted and 25.6
% underweight). Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was 64.5 per cent among school going
children. Out of them 52.5, 1.5 and 10.5 per cent were mild, moderate and severely anaemic.
Anaemia was more prevalent in urban children (73%) than children of rural area (56%). Results
further revealed that girls were more anaemic in comparison to boys. Severity of anaemia was also
more prevalent in (14.5%) girls. In contrast, only 7.7 per cent boys were severely anaemic
Description
Keywords
Cotton, Spacing, Planting, Yields, Fertilizers, Sowing, Nutrients, Fertilizer application, Developmental stages, Crops