Department of Studies in Anthropology, Karnatak University, Dharwad-580–003, Karnataka, India
Online published on 4 January, 2017.
In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the different types of vitamin deficiencies by using clinical assessment method among Halakki Vokkalu community. Halakki-Vokkalu is a small peasant group in Karnataka, and they are settled down in four taluks of Uttara Kannada district, namely Karwar, Ankola, Kumta and Honnavar. In Karnataka, they are considered as a very backward community and placed in the category-I. The data comprises of 600 male and female individuals between the age group of 13 and 50 years. On the basis of clinical signs examination, whatever deficiency we have observed regarding the intake of vitamin A, riboflavin, fatty acid, niacin, folic acid, vitamin C and iron is quite negligible. Such deficiency is quite common in majority of the Indian communities. The maximum percentage of protein energy malnutrition is reflected among the children between 13 and 15 years. Overall, Halakki-Vokkalu are quite healthy, and they fit into the Indian standards.
Halakki Vokkalu Tribe, Karnataka, Clinical nutrition, Malnutrition, Vitamins, Iron, Folic acid
