Nutritional Status of Farm Women in Hills of Uttarakhand

Abstract

Uttarakhand is one of the few states in India where an overwhelming number of women have always been a part of the active work force due to their total involvement with agriculture, forest protection, cattle care, and dairying. Present study is an attempt to know the food consumption and dietary intakes of farm women in hills of Uttarakhand. The study was carried out on 70 farm women of Bhagartola and Maniyagar (adopted and non adopted village) in Almora district of Uttarakhand. The 24-hour dietary recall survey revealed that consumption of pulses, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables and fruits was less than the recommended levels among hill farm women with more severity in non-adopted village. The average daily energy consumption per capita per day in adopted and non adopted village was 2054 and 1739 kcal respectively, which is 7.7 and 21.8 per cent less than Recommended Dietary Allowance (2225 kcal). Iron intake in the daily diet of women in adopted and non-adopted village was found to be 18 mg and 16 mg which is respectively 40 and 46.6 per cent less than recommended level (30 mg). Prevalence of Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) was found to be higher among the farm women of non-adopted village than adopted one. Respondents of adopted village differed significantly from respondents of non-adopted village in the consumption of energy, protein, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid. Education, energy consumption and protein consumption have significantly positive relationship with nutritional status of respondents whereas family size has significantly negative relationship with nutritional status.