Health and nutritional profile of adolescent girls from underprivileged communities residing in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Rajasthan

Government of India to enhance educational status and quality of life among adolescent girls of underprivileged communities. In these institutes free education, food, clothes, books and free residential facilities are provided to adolescent girls. The present study was an attempt to assess the nutritional status of adolescent girls residing in KGBVs of two districts of Rajasthan i.e. Jaipur and Tonk. Nutritional anthropometry and dietary survey (food inventory method and 24 hour dietary recall) were carried out on 457 girls. The respondents were in the age group of 9–18 years belonging to Schedule Caste (28.2 per cent), Schedule Tribe (31.7 percent), Other Backward Caste (36.76 percent) and General (3.2 percent) category. Energy deficiency was found among the 18.35 percent girls while stunting (height for age <-2SD of WHO Z score) among 15.25 percent girls. Energy deficiency as well as stunting was observed higher among girls studying in class 6^th as compared to class 8^th. The food provided at KGBVs was basically cereal based. All food groups except cereals were available in inadequate quantities. Availability as well as intake of energy was adequate while that of micronutrients was below Recommend Dietary Allowances. A huge gap was observed between availability and intake of nutrients as well as food groups indicating possibility of pilferage of food stuffs.