IJSRP, Volume 3, Issue 12, December 2013 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Jamuna K.V., Rathna H.
Abstract:
Over the last three decades, eating habits/ pattern and physical activity levels of children have also changed. The changed social environments associated to the increased incidences of malnutrition obesity and possibly micronutrient deficiencies. The changed social environments associated to the increased incidences of malnutrition and possibly micronutrient deficiencies. In this backdrop, this research attempts has been made to study the nutritional and health status of the school girls belonging to different socio-economic groups Representative sample of one hundred and twenty school girls each belonging to low and middle income group, in the age group of Eleven to Fifteen years were selected by simple random sampling technique. Results revealed that, Low income group girls consumed fewer nutrients when compared with middle income group. Somatic statuses of the children indicating that, height of the children of 11-13 ages from both the groups were slightly higher than NCHS standards but decreased in older children showing the long term nutritional deficiency. The BMI remained almost constant despite a significant increase in terms of increment in height and weight over the age of 11-15 years. Morbidity status of respondents indicated that, Low income group girls showed the high percent of clinical symptoms than middle income group. It was observed that, low income group girls were more prone to infections and diseases than the middle income group girls. Thus, the findings of the study are indicative of the fact that the prime reason for nutrition and health status of present day school girls is quality and quantity of food.