Volume 8 : Issue 3 (2021)

Nutritional Status of Adolescent Girls: A Study of Slum Dwellers of Surat City

Adolescent girls are backbone of healthy and progressive family and they are future builders of healthy community. Nutritional status of adolescent girl is valuable in attaining healthy reproductive outcome. A community based cross sectional study was carried out primarily to determine the nutritional status of adolescent girls in the age group of 11-18 years living in urban slum from Surat city. The study is comprised of (n=96) adolescent girls. The primary data was collected through structured questionnaire, using Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) and Focus Group Discussion. The findings of the study revealed that there is poor dietary habits among girls. Analysis of Anthropometric measurements revealed more malnourished status among the respondents and implied the gap in perception of girls’ on their nutritional status. Study expresses need for consideration of feedback of beneficiaries in providing Purna Shakti Atta and Iron tablets to adolescent girls of slum area under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP).The paper ends with recommendations to combat multi factorial malnutrition problem.

Malnutrition, Adolescence, Stunting, Wasting, Underweight, BMI Index

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