Socio-Economic and Nutritional Status Evaluation among the Irular Women of Tamil Nadu

 Anthropology and Ethnology Open Access Journal,  ISSN: 2639-2119 MEDWIN PUBLISHERS

Anthropol Ethnol Open Acc J

Ajeet J1* and Rajan J2

1Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Central University of

Tamil Nadu, India

2Research scholar, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, India

*Corresponding author: Ajeet Jaiswal, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and

Public Health, Central University of Tamil Nadu, India, Tel: 8122594335; Email: rpgajeet@gmail.com

Nutrition always remains as an important marker that attributes towards the health status of any population. It plays a crucial role in human health and well-being, despite higher economic growth, improvements in human development indicators like nutrition levels of the population have been unacceptable very slow, even in scheduled Tribe which constitutes about 8.6 percent of the total population. In this study, an attempt was made to study the socio-economic and nutritional status among the Irular women of Tamil Nadu. As in general, an appeasing image may appear about the Irular tribe, but a closer look shows us a different image. It is due to their geographical isolation and poor socio-economic condition, which affects the attributes towards better nutrition and makes them vulnerable to undernutrition. Analysis in the present study was based on a 201 Irular women of Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu sample of 18 to 49 years of age The study reveals the socio-economic and nutritional status among the Irular women was quite unfavourable as mean BMI of 35.4 per cent women was found to be <18.5 (Chronic Energy Deficiency) i.e. Underweight. The overall food intake was very poor as per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). In conclusion, the study suggested that there is a need to take immediately some strong steps both from the government as well as from the non-government side to protect and uplift the people of the Irular tribe.

 

“Nutritional Status of Irular Women in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu” Anthropo-Indialogs. 2021. 1(1-2): 123-131 Ajeet Jaiswal and Rajan J. 

Abstract: 

Nutrition always remains an important marker that attributes towards the health status of any population. Scheduled Tribe in the country is 10.45crore as per 2011 census, which constitutes 8.6 percent of the total population. In general, an appeasing image may appear, but a closer look shows us a different image. It is due to their geographical isolation and poor socio-economic condition, which affects the attributes towards better nutrition and makes them vulnerable to undernutrition. The present study assesses the socio-economic and nutritional status of Irular women in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu. The study reveals the mean BMI of 35.4 percent of women was found to be <18.5 (Chronic Energy Deficiency) i.e. Underweight. The overall food intake was very poor as per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The present study concerns the Nutritional Status of Irular women in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu Keywords: Irular; Villupuram; Nutrition; Socio-Economic, Basic Metabolism Index (BMI).

 “Women and Child Nutritional Status among the Irular Tribe in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu”. International Journal of Nursing Care. January-June 2021, 9:1, 1-7. ISSN 2320-8643 (Print Version) and ISSN 2320-8651 (Online Version). Dr Ajeet Jaiswal and Rajan J.

Abstract

Malnutrition among children and women has serious long-term consequences in our India especially the

deprived section of the people. In this case, tribal are the most vulnerable section of people compared

with other populations. According to NFHS IV report (2015-16), the percentage of under the weight of

STs is 42 Percent The prevalence of underweight is almost one and half times higher in tribal children

than other populations tribal children continue to be the most malnourished. Stunting among children and

low BMI among adults in tribal people is more than among the non-tribal population. Due to this concern

researcher made to study the women and child nutritional status among the Irular tribe of Villupuram District

of Tamil Nadu. A community-based cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of

children below 5 years and their mother of Irular Tribe by using an inexpensive anthropometry method. Such

as Weight for age, height for age and weight for height, BMI & Waist hip ratio for an adult was calculated

by using WHO growth standards. The prevalence of underweight (weight for age), stunting (Height for Age)

and wasting (Weight for Height) in the study population is 58.43 Percent 64.04 Percent and 51.69 Percent

respectively. The proportion of moderate and severely underweight, stunting, and wasting were highest in

the age group of 36-59 months. Malnutrition is a major public health problem among children and women

especially in the most vulnerable segment of people

Keywords: Malnutrition, Tamil Nadu, Irular Tribe, Women, Nutrition, Child

 

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