A Study on the Nutritional Status and Dietary Patterns Among Lactating Mothers in Rural Areas of Jagatsinghpur district , Odisha.

Background: Nutritional status is affected by external factors like food safety, cultural practices, social and economic conditions, and internal factors like age, sex, physical activity, and health. Women in low-income countries are highly susceptible to malnutrition. In India, it has been estimated that one-fourth of women of reproductive age have a BMI below 18.5 kg/m². Lactating mothers need an extra 520-600 kcal/day to meet the energy needs of breastfeeding. Proper nutrition during lactation is crucial in ensuring that the energy, protein, and nutrient content of breast milk, thus the significance of focused dietary interventions at this period. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted over three months through household visits in rural Jagatsinghpur, Odisha. The sample size of 170 was calculated using OpenEpi, based on a 28.7% malnutrition prevalence among women aged 15-49 in Odisha (NFHS-4), with 10% precision and a design effect of 2. Result: The majority of lactating mothers were housewives 91.8%, with 54.7% having had high school education. Most of the mothers 88.8% took 3-4 meals a day and had an average caloric intake of 1868.94kcal, mainly from lunch 618.38 kcal. Most were of normal BMI 62.4%, while 24.7% were overweight. Socio demographic factors such as caste, education and spacing between children were also significantly associated with maternal BMI. Conclusion: The dietary intake of lactating mothers was significantly below the RDA, with an average of 1868.94 kcal. Though most mothers had a normal BMI, their consumption of basic nutrients like iron-folic acid (IFA), vitamins, and supplements, and also albendazole, was found to be inadequate. There is a need for comprehensive nutritional education of mothers and their families to enhance health outcomes for mothers and their babies.