Harpreet KaurSumanpreet Kaur2019-02-022019-02-022018http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810093417A study was conducted to assess the relationship of dietary diversity with energy and iron status among pregnant women. A total of 120 pregnant women from the three trimesters attending antenatal clinic from the rural areas of Khanna were purposively selected. On the basis of trimesters, the subjects were divided into three groups; group I (1st trimester), group II (2nd trimester) and group III (3rd trimester). The findings revealed that dietary intake of various food groups namely cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, fruits and milk and milk products was inadequate. However, the intake of sugar and jaggery and fats and oils was more than adequate. The mean daily intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, riboflavin, niacin, b-carotene, calcium, iron , folic acid and zinc was inadequate. The anemia was prevalent among 82 % of subjects with majority of subjects lying in group II. Moreover, it was found that anthropometric measurements viz. weight gain and BMI showed a significant (p<0.05) positive relation with energy intake. Among the hematological parameters namely red blood cell count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were had a positive (p<0.01) relation with energy intake. Similarly iron status had a direct relation with energy intake also with protein, fat and vitamin C. The mean dietary diversity score of pregnant women of group I, group II and group III was 8.71, 7.98 and 8.32, respectively. Whereas, the mean food variety score of the subjects of group I was 20.34, group II was 21.89 and group III was 21.52. The factors namely self educational level, family income and hemoglobin level showed a significant (p<0.01) relationship with dietary diversity score. Moreover, family income and red blood cell count were significantly (p<0.01) related with food variety score. The study concluded that energy intake directly affects the iron status of pregnant women. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that self employment should be encouraged among the women so that their economic status and ultimately their purchasing power is raised which would help in the improvement of their nutritional status and to combat nutritional problems like anaemia.ennullThesis