Nutritional Need Assessment of Member Families of a Family Helper Project with Women as Indicators of Household Nutrition

Abstract

In developing countries programmes have been designed both by government and voluntary agencies for the upliftment of poverty with a view to improve the nutrition and health of the house-hold. Kiriya Pushpa is one such centre which has designed such programmes and is helping a total of 900 families under the scheme of family helper project In order to make the programme more specific. a nutritional need assessment was earned out among the member families by measuring the somatic and dietary status of women as indicators of family nutrition. The somatic and dietary status of women re preventing 500 households indicated a overall normal body size mean (BMIJ of 22 with lower mid upper arm muscle circumference (MUMAC - 90 - 70%) and increased waist to hip ratio (WHR) indicating obesity in 97 per cent of women. Men were found to be indulging in smoking and alcoholism excessively. Frequency of food use and food expeoliture pattern reflected lack of diversity in the food intake dietaries being predominantly cereals with low amount, of other foods Nutrient intake was deficient in energy and all other nutrients, irrespective of WHR categories, low ever. anthropometric measurements except for height howed an increasing trend with age gradient particularly in WHR It is probable that increased WHR may be a cumulative effect of long term malnutrition. The most pressing need is to design income generating, education and training programmes keeping in view the target groups-adolescent girl boys and men to improve household nutrition.