Serum Nutritional Components and Dietary Food Intake of People Living in a Remote Hilly Village in Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Summary Serum nutritional components and food intake were examined in Nepalese (127 males and 163 females aged 4 to 72 years) living in a remote hilly village (area A and B, area A is located at a relatively lower altitude and is warmer) in the eastern region of Nepal. Mean values of height and weight for the groups covering ages 4 to 19 of both sexes and in both areas increased with age. The mean BMI value for each age group was mostly under 22, and the BMI correlated with age, and with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The mean values of serum components were about the same levels in both sexes. Mean values of triglyceride (TG) of over 150 mg/dl were found in males 20-50 years old and in females over 50 years old in area A, and generally the mean values of TG of the subjects tended to be in the higher range of normal. The main foods consumed in both areas were rice, maize, potatoes, pulses, milk and dairy products, and vegetables, with a difference in the amounts consumed. Milk and dairy products were almost the sole food source of animal origin. The rather higher serum TG levels of the subjects may be due to large amounts of consumption of cereals containing a lot of carbohydrate, which transformed into lipids in the metabolic pathway. The present food intake study revealed that the amounts of food consumed were not adequate resulting in a latent and chronic deficiency of nutrients, especially such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and fat-soluble vitamins. These results suggest that improvement of the nutritional status is needed in this people group.

Food consumption and serum nutritional status of people living in the Kathmandu valley in Nepal

“…Compared with the normal range of TC (150-230 mg/dl), the mean TC level was at the lower range of normal levels (13), whereas the mean value of TG was at the higher range of normal levels in this study. Similar findings of high TG levels have been reported previously for other people (132-165 mg/dl in a remote hilly village, 175 mg/dl for the males in the Itahari district, 98-134 mg/dl for both sexes in the Chitwan district) in Nepal (4,17,18) and 23 to 72-yearold males (126.0±0.9 mg/dl) in Korea (19). The large intake of cereals containing much carbohydrate may have contributed to the higher serum TG level because excess carbohydrate intake is converted to fat in the human body.…”

“…A support system for improving their nutritional status is needed for this group. Table 10 Comparison of daily average nutrient intakes of Nepalese Nutrient Sherpa (1) Itahari (2) Chitwan (3) Village (4) (A) Village (4)…”

“…For the past 30 years, we have been conducting dietary surveys in Nepal, in a mountain area (Mountain) (1), the southern Terai region (Level land) (Itahari district, an industrial (2) and Chitwan district, an agricultural (3) region) and a remote hilly village (Hills) (area A and B, area A is located at a rela-tively lower altitude and is warmer than area B) in the eastern area (4). These were selected depending on geographical belts (Mountain, Level land and Hills).…”

Food Consumption and Serum Nutritional Status of People Living in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal

“…Table 10 summarized the daily average nutrient intakes of Nepalese reported previously (1)(2)(3)(4). The nutrient intakes of the subjects in this study were lower than those of Nepalese shown in Table 10 as a whole.…”

“…For the past 30 years, we have been conducting dietary surveys in Nepal, in a mountain area (Mountain) (1), the southern Terai region (Level land) (Itahari district, an industrial (2) and Chitwan district, an agricultural (3) region) and a remote hilly village (Hills) (area A and B, area A is located at a rela-tively lower altitude and is warmer than area B) in the eastern area (4). These were selected depending on geographical belts (Mountain, Level land and Hills).…”