Consumption pattern of pulses, vegetables and nutrients among rural population in India

Abstract

In spite of several national nutritional intervention programmes, the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition continues to be a major public health problem in India, and the economic cost of micronutrient malnutrition is 0.8 to 2.4% of the GDP. The most vulnerable segments of the population are children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers. The objective of this communication was to assess the consumption pattern of pulses and vegetables (including roots and tubers) among the rural population in India, utilizing a population based cross-sectional survey. In general, the rural population subsists on inadequate diets, where the mean intakes of pulses and vegetables were found to be below the recommended dietary intakes (RDI). The intakes of leafy and non-leafy vegetables were less than RDI in 88 and 67% of households respectively, while the corresponding figure for pulses was 73%. Similarly, the diets of rural population were grossly deficient in micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, riboflavin and folic acid. Thus, the study revealed that the diets of rural population in India were grossly deficient in vegetables and pulses. Therefore, it is suggested that the rural communities through health and nutrition education, should be encouraged to consume a variety of vegetables and pulses.