ASSESSMENT OF DIETARY DIVERSITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG ADOLESCENTS OF ITAHARI SUB-METROPOLITAN CITY

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period of growth, making nutrition a key determinant of long-term health yet they are often overlooked in nutritional research national programs. Thus, this study aims to assess dietary diversity and its association with nutritional status among adolescents in Itahari subMetropolitan City. A cross-sectional study design was administered among 205 adolescents ages 10-19 years of age, selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Data collection involved anthropometric measurements and dietary assessments through a Dietary Diversity score and 24-hour dietary recall. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, were applied to examine the association between nutritional status and selected socioeconomic as well as lifestyle variables. The study revealed a notable burden of malnutrition, with of adolescents identified as 16.1% stunted and 14.1% thin, while overweight/obesity was observed in 4.8% of participants. Dietary inadequacies were also prominent, as73.7% reported insufficient energy intake, 41.5% Inadequate protein intake, and 73.7% inadequate fat intake. A significant proportion of adolescents had inadequate dietary diversity (72.7%), only 27.3% met the requirement. Factors such as age group (p=0.036), energy adequacy(p=0.0001), protein adequacy (p=0.04), fat adequacy (p=0.014) were significantly associated with stunting. Additionally, age group (p=0.019), religion (p=0.003), nonveg (p=0.036), energy adequacy (p=0.000), protein intake (p=0.000) and fat adequacy (p=0.000) were identified as significant predictors of poor BMI-for-age outcomes. This study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve dietary practices and nutritional education among adolescents.