Diet and Nutritional Status of Women in India

The health of women is linked to their status in the society. The demographic consequence of the women has formed expression in various forms, such as female infanticide, higher death rate, lower sex ratio, low literacy level and lower level of employment of women in the non-agricultural sector as compared to men. Generally, at household level, cultural norms and practices and socio-economic factors determine the extent of nutritional status among women. National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau has been carrying out regular surveys on diet and nutritional status of different population groups since 1972. For the purpose of present investigation, the data collected during 1998-99 and 2005-06 on diet and nutritional status of tribal and rural population respectively in nine States of India was utilized. The intake of all the foods except for other vegetables and roots and tubers was lower than the suggested level among rural as well as tribal women. The study revealed inadequate dietary intake, especially micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger) during pregnancy and lactation. The prevalence of goiter was relatively higher (4.9%) among tribal women compared to their rural counterparts (0.8%). Tribal women were particularly vulnerable to undernutrition compared to women in rural areas. The prevalence of chronic energy deficiency was higher (56%) among tribal NPNL women compared to rural women (36%).