Original Article

ASSESSMENT OF NUTRTIONAL STATUS AND DIETARY PATTERN OF

ADOLESCENTS IN COASTAL AREA OF PUDUCHERRY
1

K. Kumarakuru and Sundramoorthy Haripriya

Research scholar
Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology
Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
2

ABSTRACT
Nutrition is a crucial factor determining health and is a very important factor in determining the
health of any population. Diet is one of the prime constituent of health and nutritional status. A
diet which is inadequate in both quantity and quality will mark for elevated level of
malnutrition. Adolescents nutritional status has been considered as a vital tool in the
assessment and promotion of health. This study assessed the nutritional status and dietary
pattern of adolescent of both gender age groups. Height and weight were measured and
dietary intake was recorded by 24 hour recall method. The mean intake of food stuff of fats
and oils, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, fruits and was gruesomely inadequate
varying only 28.7, 24.7, 12.3, and 34.3 per cent respectively of the suggested RDA
allowances. Pulses and other vegetables were adequate meeting the allowances. The study
revealed prevalence of under nutrition and decreased energy intake along with low
micronutrient intake among the adolescents. The prevalence of stunting among adolescent
boys and girls of fishing community was 55.5 and 63.8 per cent and thinness was 38.3 and
29.8 per cent respectively. The results of the study revealed inadequate intake of foods by the
adolescent which is expressed as hidden hunger. The protein calorie inadequacy and the
prevalence of stunting data strongly highlights the requirement of awareness programs for
the adolescent in fishing community on importance of balanced diet and good nutrition
practices to improve the nutritional status of the adolescent.

INTRODUCTION

dolescents nutritional status has been

considered as a vital tool in the assessment and
promotion of health. Health is a key factor in entering,
enduring and performing in life [1]. The nutritional
status of a nation is highly reliant on the nutritional
status of the adolescents as girls of this age are
prospective mothers and boys form the prime work
force. Interestingly, only now there are few
Government health and nutrition schemes which
benefits for adolescents. Maximum physical growth at
Correspondence
Dr. S. Haripriya
Assistant Professor
Department of Food Science & Technology,
Pondicherry University, Pududcherry-605014, India.
Email: shprieya@gmail.com
03

adolescence occurs only during the adolescents

phase and the maximum of it is seen in the
preadolescent period. Fishermen are the special
group of some grave way of life. All over India,
hundreds of men and women prolong to be involved in
fish related activity, mainly to continue their families. As
the fisheries resource is increasingly susceptible the
task of men and women gets more and more
complicated. Nutritional status of the fishing
community plays a vital role in the improvement of the
socio economic back ground which in turns reflects on
the nutrition status of their family members. Fish and
fishing is an important occupation in the coastal areas
of India. Puducherry being a coastal area has a large
population of fishermen. Though many schemes and
benefits are extended to fishermen who can be
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classified as Maritime and inland fishers, the real crux

is on the health and nutritional status of the maritime
fishers which is an unsolved issue addressed. The
adolescent in the fisherman community are considered
to be a weaker section of the population due to the poor
income generation. Early identification of illnesses
through regular nutritional and health check-ups could
help prevent complications [2]. Nutrition and health
services focus more attention on nutritional support,
clinical assessment and personal hygiene. These
factors are considered to be important especially in a
developing country like India. The peak rates of
growth are exceeded only for the period of the fetal life
and early infancy [3]. Therefore, there is an urgent
need to evaluate the nutritional status of the
adolescents of fishermen community which could
enable the Government and policy frames to initiate
strategies for the well being of the adolescents among
fishermen community. In this study, the assessment of
nutritional status of the adolescent in the coastal areas
of Puducherry was performed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sampling and investigation
This is a cross-sectional study on the adolescents of
the fishermen community adapting stratified random
sampling procedure. The study was piloted in boys
and girls of age group 10-18 years of fishing
community. The study design was approved by the
Institutional Human Ethical Committee (PU/IEC/201213/30) and informed consent was taken from who
participated in the study. A total of 227 adolescents in
the age group of 10-18 years of both genders
participated in the study. An epigrammatic study of the
fishing community adolescent population was done
with respect to socio-demographic profile (data not
included). Anthropometric measurements such as
weight and height were measured on all the selected
adolescent boys and girls by using standard
equipment. Height and weight measurement was used
to compute the Body Mass Index (BMI) using the
formula BMI= weight (kg)/ height cm2. The 24 hour
recall method was adopted for collecting the details of
the foods consumed by the boys and girls following
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Kumarakuru et al

systematic random sampling procedure. The subject's

parents were also asked details pertaining to the types
of food preparations, raw materials used for each of the
preparation and total cooked amount of each
preparation in terms of standardized measurement
cups. Based on the values that were standardized in
our laboratory the food consumption data of the study
was converted into raw food equivalents. Per cent
adequacy of food intake was calculated based on the
intake by ICMR (2010) [4]. Average nutrient intake and
excess/deficit of macro nutrient intake was computed
using food composition tables and Recommended
Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Indians (ICMR, 2010 &
Gopalan et al., 2007) [4 & 5].
Analysis of data
The average daily intake of foods by various age
groups of boys and girls was computed and compared
with the suggested levels of intake by ICMR RDA
2010[4]. Using the food composition Table and RDA,
the nutrient profile was calculated, ICMR RDA 2010[4].
Protein-calorie adequacy status of adolescents was
categorized according to the age group. Gaussian
distribution with a coefficient variation of 15 per cent
was used to predict the protein and energy requirement
curves. In terms of defining the protein- energy
adequacy status, 70 per cent of requirement i.e.
requirement-2SD was used as the intercept for the
different age groups of the adolescents. The
adolescent boys and girls were compared against the
NCHS reference values for height and weight [6] which
was used to assess under nutrition and the extent of
stunting. The mean body mass index (BMI) was
calculated and prevalence of thinness (<5th percentile)
and overweight ( 85 percentile) NHANES; WHO,
1995 [7] was assessed. The collected data were
analyzed using SPSS windows version 20. Association
between age, chronic energy deficiency and nutrient
intake was tested using chi-square test.
RESULTS
Food stuffs
The frequency of the food stuffs consumed by the
adolescent boys and girls was computed based on the
intake per day divided by the number of respondents.
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The data is presented in Table 1. The food intakes

pattern was skewed. The food frequency pattern of the
adolescent boys and girls revealed that adequacy of
the cereals consumption was considerably low in all
the age group surveyed. The cereals and millets
consumed in the age group 10-12 years included 148
g/day (boys) and 149 g/day (girls) being the lowest
among the adolescent groups surveyed. Whereas in
the age group 13-15 years the consumption was only
178 g/day (boys) and 175 g/day (girls) for cereals and
millets. It is also noted that the cereals and millets
consumed in all the age group were found to be
significantly less than the RDA requirement (460
g/day). The pulses consumption among the
adolescents was adequate when compared with the
RDA (40g/day). Consumption of leafy vegetables,
roots and tubers, fruits, fats and oils and sugar and
jaggery were found to be lower than the RDA among
the adolescent age groups surveyed. Further, the
consumption of fish was an integral part of the daily diet
which varied from 62 to 74 per cent. Most of those
fishes which remained off the sales were only
consumed. Preferences to specific types of fishes
were not expressed.
Nutrient
The age wise mean nutrient intake is presented in
Table 2. The mean intake of energy was around 68.7
to 63.9 per cent of the RDA and the mean intake of
protein was 66.3 and 69.8 per cent. Except for the
calcium and thiamine content the intake of all other
nutrients were found to be much below the RDA and
the intake of iron, folic acid and Vitamin A was only half
to two third of the RDA. Expression of nutrient gap
(especially energy, protein, riboflavin and niacin
percent) was well noted in younger age group (10-12
and 13-15 years) than in the age group of 16-18 years..
In similar data was also noted in the study where the
nutrient intake of adolescents (rural) expects protein all
other micro nutrient well below RDA. This could be the
reason why a higher proportion of adolescents have
been reported of inadequate consumption of
micronutrient including riboflavin, vitamin A, niacin,
vitamin C and iron.
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Kumarakuru et al

Protein calorie adequacy

The protein calorie adequacy was calculated for the
adolescent age group based on the diets consumed
(Table 3). Inadequate quantities of protein and calorie
consumption were noted in all the groups of which the
highest per cent of 16.1 percent prevailed in the age
group 13-15 years girls. The next group which showed
protein and calorie inadequacy (15.8percent) was in
the same age group 13-15 years boys. The fraction of
adolescent receiving adequate energy and protein
from the diet was much higher in 10-12 years and 1618 years in both the gender (23-25 percent) when
compared with other age groups. Around 60-68 per
cent in the age group of 10-18 years had received
adequate protein and insufficient calories in their diet.
Similarly 21 per cent of the adolescent in 13-15 years
had calorie adequate but protein deficient diet. Though
adolescents surveyed fell under the protein and calorie
adequacy, an alarming per cent of adolescent in the
fishing community were prevailing in the protein
adequate and calorie deficient status which would
destabilize the adequacy per cent if left unattended.
Anthropometry
Table 4 shows the mean height and weight of the
adolescent age groups in both genders. Heights and
weight of genetic make-up and nutritional profile
together to determine human height and weight which
is only altered socioeconomic background. According
to the findings from the Table it shows that significant
difference was observed in height and weight in both
the gender among the different age group, as the age
increases the height and weight is also consequently
increasing.
Nutritional status
The prevalence of stunting (height for age < 3rd
percentile) showed in Table 5 as per NCHS and Indian
standards. According to a study conducted in urban
slum of Dhaka, it was 65 per cent of the girls fell below
<3rd percentile of NCHS reference values of which
ratio of stunting in older girls was greater. Similarly in
this data, through the prevalence of stunting is higher
but prevalence is greater in older girls. The clinical
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Kumarakuru et al

significance of thinness categories in adolescents is

still scarce (Table 6). Data reveal concomitance
between over nutrition and under nutrition particularly
in the age group in the age group of 12 to 14 years. This
could be due to particular socio-economic groups or
due to the varied availability of nutrients matching to
the requirement in the growth phase. On comparing
the prevalence rate of thinness and overweight,
prevalence of thinness was found to be more in all the
age group in both the gender (P0.05). These findings
can be correlated with the food and nutrient intake.

adolescents (2001). NNMB reported 39 per cent of

adolescents in rural areas of southern region were
stunted [8] while another findings school going children
of northern part of India 19.1 to 41 percent recorded a
prevalence of stunting as per NCHS and Indian
standards respectively [9]. Due to low intake
micronutrient rich foods, majority of the population
were in the underweight sector. In slum area of Dhaka
17 per cent of adolescent's girls reported the
prevalence of thinness [10]. Data on thinness among
adolescents girls (14 to 50 %) have also been reported
in many studies [9,10,11 &12]. This survey data gives a
clear picture of the prevalence of malnutrition in the
adolescents group. Further the prevalence of
overweight and under weight, stunting and increased
BMI presents the increased morbidity and nutrient
deficiency among these adolescents who have
continuously undergone a deficient nutrient diet in their

DISCUSSION
Maximum nutrient requirement is the need
in
adolescents phase which is the final growth phase of
an individual. This is the first data available on the
nutrition status of adolescence of fishing community in
India. The results are analogues to the data observed
by Government of India on working group of

TABLE 1: FOOD STUFFS (G/DAY) AMONG 10-19 YEAR BOYS AND GIRLS

Food Stuffs

10-12 years
Girls

Boys

Cereals
Pulses
GLV
Other vegetables
Roots &tubers
Fish
Fruits
Fats & Oils
Milk &Milk products
Sugar& Jaggery

148.242.1
30.3616.7
13.72.5
103.546.2
18.77.7
42.610.5
20.610.5
8.62.4
152.953.1
13.83.0

p-Value*
NS

14946.2
0.944
30.1917.8 0.727 NS
12.192.9
0.221 NS
102.4649.9 0.497 NS
12.319.0
0.327 NS
48.913.6
0.926 NS
2312.5
0.774 NS
6.352.2
0.471 NS
13863.9
0.251 NS
13.462.7 0.628 NS

AGE GROUP
13-15 years
Girls

Boys

pValue*
178.022.5
17524.6
0.371 NS
38.810.8 37.1711.2 0.256 NS
14.02.5
13.782.1
0.437 NS
105.847.9 100.4348.2 0.416 NS
25.610.6
23.967.6 0.491 NS
60.323.2
52.311.4
0.526 NS
22.423.2
2810.5
0.624 NS
8.13.4
8.489.3
0.412 NS
148.759.0
14853.3
0.763 NS
15.63.7
15.433.6 0.717 NS

Boys
189.516.2
42.510.6
14.41.9
110.157.3
28.416.4
61.030.4
31.030.4
9.31.7
158.465.8
18.33.4

16-18 years
Girls
18118.5
42.3510.3
14.591.9
106.7652.3
25.06.5
6019.8
3415
10.125.6
15558.3
15.294.4

p-Value*
0.560NS
0.904 NS
0.760 NS
0.926 NS
0.822 NS
0.571 NS
0.798 NS
0.648 NS
0.990 NS
0.345 NS

Mean, standard deviation, NS- Non Significant (p> 0.05), *significantly different (p0.05)

TABLE 2: AVERAGE NUTRIENT INTAKE (G/DAY) AMONG 10-19 YEAR BOYS AND GIRLS
Average
Nutrient intake
Boys
Energy(Kcal)
Protein(g)
Fat(g)
Calcium( mg)
Iron (g)
Vitamin- A (g)
Thiamin (mg)
Riboflavin(mg)
Niacin (mg)

1400145
37.718.4
16.94.4
430.257.7
24.59.0
336.081.5
0.160.04
1.20.5
1.20.5

10-12 years
Girls
1355176
37.810.3
16.275.3
427.16105.9
22.796.8
351.63113.1
0.590.02
1.322.9
8.875.5

pValue*
0.628 NS
0.922 NS
0.891 NS
0.730 NS
0.835 NS
0.175 NS
0.241 NS
0.731 NS
0.599 NS

Boys

AGE GROUP
13-15 years
Girls

141189
45.516.4
18.08.3
441.491.2
28.56.8
370.448.6
0.250.06
3.60.8
10.76.1

1395185
44.711
17.315.9
445.2884.4
27.6910.1
369.2064.2
0.570.02
1.643.2
10.215.9

pValue*
0.795 NS
0.225 NS
0.807 NS
0.891 NS
0.691 NS
0.970 NS
0.129 NS
0.780 NS
0.345 NS

Boys
142481
54.018.8
19.76.2
472.860.0
29.25.7
377.668.3
0.290.07
2.40.6
7.63.0

16-18 years
Girls
1464105
50.411.2
18.306.4
448.2287.7
28.367.9
403.2473.4
0.610.03
1.672.5
7.804.1

pValue*
0.345NS
0.313 NS
0.911 NS
0.495 NS
0.254 NS
0.654 NS
0.766 NS
0.893 NS
0.932 NS

Mean, standard deviation, NS- Non Significant, (p> 0.05) * significantly different (p0.05)
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Kumarakuru et al

TABLE 3: DISTRIBUTION (%) OF PROTEIN - CALORIE ADEQUACY OF 10-19 YEAR

AGE GROUP BOYS AND GIRLS

10-12 years

Protein - Calorie
Adequacy Status

Girls

Boys

13-15 years
Boys

6.9
7.4
9.6
12.7
60.4
68.3
23.1
11.6
127.992 (P<0.05)*

P-CP-C+
P+CP+C+
Chi-square test

16-18 years

Girls

15.8
16.1
21.6
21.8
42.4
47.8
20.2
14.3
47.120 (P0.05)NS

Boys

Girls

6.4
8.6
15.8
15.2
54.3
50.4
23.5
25.8
48.847 ( P0.05)NS

+: Adequate; - : Inadequate, * Significantly different (p0.05), NS- Non significant(p0.05)

TABLE 4: HEIGHTS AND WEIGHTS (MEAN S.D) OF ADOLESCENT AGE GRO

Gender

BOYS

Agegroup

10-12

13-15

16-18

Mean, Standard deviation, * significantly different (p<0.05)

TABLE 5: PREVALENCE OF STUNTING (LOW HEIGHT FOR-AGE)

Age

Height
Boys
130.73.9
132.01.4
136.96.2

10+
11+
12+

Mean standard deviation NS- Non Significant, * Significantly different (p0.05)

TABLE 6: PREVALENCE OF THINNESS AND OVERWEIGHT (BMI-FOR-AGE)

Age

10+
11+
12+

BMI
kg/m2
Boys
16.51.5
16.82.5
17.41.4

Girls
16.72.5
17.22.2
17.52.7

Thinness (BMI
<5th percentile
(%)
Boys
Girls
B
21.8
15.9
11.1
32.4
23.1
20.4
38.4
27.6
58.4

>

>

>

Mean standard deviation NS- Non Significant (P>0.05), * significantly different (p0.05)
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CONCLUSION
Dependence on Fishing as the main source of
livelihood, through which the adult as well as the
adolescent population of fishing folks family is
observed to source of all subsequent nutritional
deficiencies. This does not mean that Fishing
Occupation is the reason, but the minimal resource
generation out of fishing due to reasons that fall
outside the scope of this study, which might indicate
the Government to undertake measures to augment
capital formulation among fishing population by
additional alternatives such as setting up of fish
processing units and similar arrangements. The study
also opened avenues for indirectly assessing the food
and nutritional security of lower income group who are
directly dependent on PDS, which certainly require
midcourse policy corrections but before every such
initiative, the need of the hour as per the study require
an immediate addressing of nutritional status of the
adolescent population of the fishing community
through health camps, setting up special counseling
units on nutritional awareness for adolescent
population, and above all, supplementing the
population with quality food grains and vegetables in a
manner that they do not get back to the market, on a
top priority basis. The Government might very well take
a call on reassessing and recalibrating the schemes
related food security in fishermen population pockets
of the Union Territory of Puducherry.

Kumarakuru et al

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Thanks to the Department of Science, Technology and
Environment, Government of Puducherry for financial
assistant to carry out the research.

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