Abstract

NUTRITIONAL STATUS BASED ON BODY MASS INDEX AMONG LACTATING MOTHERS (18-35 YRS) OF NAMKOM BLOCK

Khushboo Tirkey* and Meenakshi Akhouri

ABSTRACT

The nutritional link between the mother and the child continues even after birth. The newborn baby depends for some period solely on breast milk for his existence. The nutritional status of an individual is related to many factors and is influenced by food intake, quantity & quality, & physical health, range of nutritional status spread from obesity to severe malnutrition. Study was carried out to find out education and nutritional status among lactating women. Total 250 lactating mothers were taken for the study. Age group of mothers was between 18 – 35 years. Questionnaire was prepared for the data collection of the respondents, it included general profile the information about age, education, occupation, total income and activity levels and anthropometry assessment it included height, weight and BMI (body mass index). According to the study maximum respondents werestudied up to class 8- 10 that is 30.80 %, very less were illiterate they were 8.40 %, 1.60 percent were studied class up to 5 where as 17.20 percent were studied class 5-8, 18.80 percent were studied till class 12 and 13.20 were studied up to graduation. Nutritional status of mostly respondents were in normal range i.e. 58.8 percent followed by mild malnutrition 17.6 percent, preobese 12.8 percent, severe malnutrition 4.8 percent, moderate malnutrition 3.6 percent, overweight 1.2 percent, class 1 obesity 1.2 percent.

Keywords: Nutritional Status, Lactating women, BMI, Education, Malnutrition.