Body Mass Index and Nutritional Status of Adult Savar Tribals of Keonjhar District, Orissa, India

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine sex differences in mean body mass index (BMI) and nutritional status (based on BMI), as well as the effect of age on BMI and nutritional status of adult Savars, a tribal population of Orissa, India. A total of 600 adult (aged > 18 years) Savars of four villages, namely, Bonianiposi, Morabali, Panchapolli and Sailong of Keonjhar District, Orissa, India, were studied. Height and weight were measured and BMI computed. Mean ages of both sexes were similar (men: mean = 38.9 years, sd = 15.3; women: mean = 38.0, sd = 13.9). Men had significantly greater mean height (p < 0.001), weight (p < 0.001) and BMI (p < 0.05). The prevalence (sex combined) of undernutrition (BMI < 18.5) was found to be very high (43.5%). Moreover, there was a significant (chi2 = 7.39, p = 0.025) difference in the prevalence of undernutrition between men (38%) and women (49%). Age was significantly (p < 0.001) negatively correlated with BMI in both sexes (men: r = -0.20; women: r = -0.16). In general, the frequency of undernutrition increased with increasing age. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the prevalence of adult undernutrition was very high among Savar women and high among Savar men. These rates increased with increasing age. Therefore, from the public health point of view, immediate nutritional intervention programmes are needed for implementation among Savars, especially among older individuals. Moreover, further research is needed not only among this ethnic group but also other tribal populations of India to fully understand the causes and consequences of adult undernutrition.

Prevalence of Undernutrition and Overweight or Obesity Among the Bengali Muslim Population of West Bengal, India

“…The prevalence of undernutrition in the present investigation was observed to be higher than those reported among adults of Boro Kachari (11.22%) 70 , Dibongiya (21.43%) 66 , Mech (13.20%) 71 and Nyishi (10.50%) 69 populations. The comparative evaluation of overweight and obesity ( Figure 2) of different ethnic groups present in India as reported by different studies showed that the prevalence observed in the present investigation was lower than those reported for Bengali Kayastha (80.00%) 29 , Rengma Naga (43.34%) 5 , Tangkhul Nagas of North-east India (27.10%) 25 , Marwaris (25.91%) 27 , Bengali Hindus (19.50%) 21 , adults of Kash- 36,42,45,66,[69][70][71][72] mir (16.30%) 73 , Nyishi (19.51%) 69 , and Karbi women (31.66%) 13 populations. The prevalence of overweight or obesity in the present investigation was observed to be higher than the adults belonging to Bhumij (8.00%), Santal of Odisha (7.10%), Santal of West Bengal (6.10%), Bhatundi (3.30%) and Oraon (2.50%) populations as reported by Kshatriya and Acharya.…”

“…In the present investigation, utilizing the recent WHO 37 BMI reference, the prevalence of undernutrition (BMI<18.50 kg/ m 2 ) was 22.86% and prevalence of combined overweight or obesity (BMI ≥25.00 kg/m 2 ) was 12.86% among the BMP ( Table 2). A comparative evaluation of undernutrition ( Figure 1) of different ethnic groups present in India as reported by different studies showed that the prevalence observed to be in the present investigation was lower than those reported for the Ahom (52.00%) 70 , Koch (50.00%) 70 , Bhatudi (64.50%) 45 , Kora-Mudi (52.20%) 43 , Savar (43.50%) 42 , Oraon (49.60%) 36 , Rajbanshi (42.00%) (North-Eastern India) 70 , Dhimal (36.40%) 72 , Lalung (34.69%) 70 , Mishing/Miri (34.00%) 70 , Santal (29.60%) (Odisha) 36 , Rajbanshi (23.56%) (WB) 71 , Santal (37.60%) (WB) 36 and Bhumij (28.20%) (WB and Odisha) 36 populations. The prevalence of undernutrition in the present investigation was observed to be higher than those reported among adults of Boro Kachari (11.22%) 70 , Dibongiya (21.43%) 66 , Mech (13.20%) 71 and Nyishi (10.50%) 69 populations.…”

“…37-40 Body mass index (BMI) is widely used, non-invasive, inexpensive anthropometric indicator to determine the nutritional status (both under and overnutrition) across populations for large-scale epidemiological and clinical investigations. 1,4,5,18,19,21,25,32,[40][41][42][43][44] Extensive studies have been done using BMI as an indicator for assessing undernutrition 5,42,[45][46][47] and overweight or obesity. 1,2,31,48,49 There is a scarcity of studies on nutritional status among the Bengali Muslim Population (BMP) of India.…”

Body mass index and chronic energy deficiency among adult male Lodhas and Bhumijs: A comparison with other tribal populations of West Bengal, India

“…Studies worldwide Ulijaszek 1993, 1994) have investigated the relationship of BMI and CED with morbidity among tribals. Several recent studies from India (Yadav et al 1999;Gogoi and Sengupta 2002;Sahani 2003;Bose and Chakraborty 2005;Bose et al 2006a) have utilized BMI to study nutritional status of tribal populations. Therefore, the use of BMI and WHO (1995) BMI-based cut-off points for the evaluation of CED are valid for use among tribal populations of India.…”

Adult tribal malnutrition in India: an anthropometric and socio-demographic review

“…The census reports of 2011 and internet sites were also referred to get the required information on population characteristics. To the best of our knowledge there has been limited information on the anthropometric and nutritional status of various tribal populations of India (Arlappa 2005;Bose and Chakrabarty 2005;Bose et al 2006a). In India the most underprivileged groups are the tribal communities both in terms of socioeconomic condition as well nutritional status (Basu et al 2004).…”