Nutritional assessment of adolescents in Raichur district

Adolescence is a transitional period from childhood to adulthood through growth spurt in physical and psychological development. Kalyana-Karnataka is categorized as backward with low literacy rate and arid region with agriculture as main occupation, Survey was conducted at Raichur district during two consecutive years during 2020-21 and 2021-22.The present study assessed the demographic profile, anthropometric status, and nutrient intake of 600 adolescents (aged 13-17 years), categorized into rural (n-400) and urban (n-200) adolescents. Rural adolescents showed higher parental illiteracy (fathers: 43%, mothers: 58%) and lower family income levels in 59 percent families. Nutritional disparities were recorded, within both rural and urban adolescent’s girls experiencing more severe under nutrition. Compared to Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) standards, both rural and urban adolescents had significantly lower mean height, weight, and BMI, with rural adolescents had lower than urban areas. High prevalence of underweight was observed among adolescent’s rural boys and girls aged between 13-15 and 16-17 years. Nutrient intake revealed inadequate consumption of energy, protein, iron, calcium, B-complex vitamins, and folic acid in both regions, with rural adolescents had lower adequacy across most nutrients. Urban adolescents had relatively better, however insufficient, intake levels.