Nutritional Status and Psychological Impairment in Rural Adolescent Girls: Pilot Data From “KOKAN” Region of Western India

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a period during which psychological foundations are laid down as well as consolidated. Not much information is available on rural Indian adolescent girls and their psychological health.Methods: We did a pilot survey of psychological health of 80 adolescent girls residing at KOKAN region of western India. Psychological health was evaluated using Youth Paediatric Symptom Checklist (Y-PSC) consisting of 35 items with maximum score of 70. Girls with a score >30 were classified as psychologically impaired. In addition we also collected random blood sample and measured the micronutrients. Macronutrient intake was estimated by 24 h recall.Results: The mean age of the girls was 14 years with a standard deviation of 1.5. In all 35/76 (46.1%) could be classified as psychologically impaired. There was a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies with varying degrees. More than 65% were deficient in calcium, zinc and folic acid. About 22% were anemic and 36% were vitamin B1 deficient. More than 75% had a low recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of macronutrients. Those with poor serum calcium concentration had higher psychological score (p < 0.05). Fat and calcium intakes were inversely associated with psychological score (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001 respectively). Odds ratios for psychological impairment were significant for those with low calcium levels [1.47 (95% CI 1.21, 4.31)], and for those with low calcium intake 1.43 (1.08, 3.19) and low iron intake 3.04 (1.02, 9.26).Conclusion: Our pilot data has shown the urgent need to improve the nutrition of adolescent girls, which could improve their psychological health.

Modern India and the Tale of Twin Nutrient Deficiency–Calcium and Vitamin D–Nutrition Trend Data 50 Years-Retrospect, Introspect, and Prospect

“…The urban and metropolitan subjects had similar intake of cereals, milk and milk products (Figure 3D) (17). There are similar reports documented by other workers of low dietary calcium intake in adolescent (17) and post-menopausal women (18–20). Interestingly, a study of migrant workers in metropolitan cities had higher dietary calcium intake much above the RDA (21, 22).…”

Nutritional status of the student nurses of a tertiary health-care center – A mixed-method study

“…In India, the issue of malnutrition has received considerable critical attention as studies show that 23% adult females are undernourished and 22% are obese,[10] and studies determine that more than 50% adolescent girls are underweight in our country. [11] This observation is also supported by other studies showing that the prevalence of undernutrition in 10–24 years is ranging from 56.4 to 68.5%. [12] Inadequate nutrition along with adverse life style behaviors has accentuated the problem of chronic diseases in the young adults.…”

aDolescent and prEconception health peRspectiVe of Adult Non-communicable diseases (DERVAN): protocol for rural prospective adolescent girls cohort study in Ratnagiri district of Konkan region of India (DERVAN-1)

“…India has been on the forefront of DOHaD research, and though all the research points toward nutritional deficiencies at various stages of life cycle, actual findings of various studies vary considerably. 25 Given these variations and the findings of our cross-sectional studies [26][27][28] over the last two decades, we concluded that further systematic research is needed. Therefore, we have designed a prospective cohort study of adolescent girls of the Ratnagiri district.…”

“…27 A small cross-sectional study on 80 adolescent girls showed association between micronutrient deficiencies and psychological impairment. 28…”