ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND DIETARY INTAKE OF ADOLESCENTS STUDYING IN SCHOOLS OF KOHALPUR MUNICIPALITY, BANKE DISTRICT

Abstract

Adolescents with good nutritional status would grow to become healthy adult with increased work productivity. Their dietary intake and dietary behaviour directly affects their nutritional status. Thus, a cross sectional survey was conducted to assess the nutritional status and dietary intake of adolescents studying in schools of Kohalpur municipality, Banke district. From randomly selected eight schools, 205 adolescents were chosen by random selection according to proportion. A well designed and pretested set of questionnaire was used to collect information regarding socio-economic condition, physical activity, dietary practices, and hygiene and sanitation conditions of the target population. Weight and height were measured by using digital weighing balance and stadiometer respectively. Dietary intake was assessed by 24 hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire. Data collected was analysed using WHO Anthroplus version 1.0.4, SPSS version 20 and Microsoft excel. Chi-square test and fisher exact were used to analyse the factors associated with nutritional status. The prevalence of stunting, thinness and obesity were 21%, 5.9% and 7.8% respectively. The prevalence of insufficient intake of the nutrients as energy, protein, added fat, calcium, and iron was 85.37%, 41.95%, 92.20%, 77.56%, 76.58% respectively. Similarly of 79.02% of adolescent consume foods from at least 4 food groups out of 7. Skipping of meals was also common among the study group. Mean intake of nutrients by girls and boys of different age groups are insufficient except protein for boys and also there were high dispersion among individual intakes of the subjects. Ethnicity (p=0.016), purification of drinking water (p=0.004), trying to gain weight (p=0.031) were found to be statically associated with stunting. Gender (p=0.050), family size (p=0.002), number of adolescents in family (0.028), sleeping hours (p=0.027), and perception about own body size (p=0.000), trying to lose weight (p=0.001) and frequency of consumption of fast foods (0.026) were associated with thinness or obesity. Proper intervention programmes should be implemented in order to correct the nutritional status nutrient intake and dietary habits of adolescent residing in Kohalpur