NUTRITION STATUS AMONG PRIMITIVE TRIBAL GROUPS OF ANDHRA PRADESH INDIA

Abstract

In Andhra Pradesh according to 1981 census there are 31.76 lakh tribals belonging to 33 tribal communities. They are spread all over the state. among these 33 tribal communities 8 groups were recognized as Primitive Tribal groups. The study is confined to the diets and their nutritional status of Konda Reddys of Khammam, Khonds of Visakhapatnam and Chenchus of Nallamalai in Andhra Pradesh. The present study to assess the food consumption of the tribals both quantitatively and qualitatively. To estimate the nutritive value of the food exclusively consume by the tribals and to find out whether the existing dietary patterns are satisfactory or not and to estimate the inadequacies in them. The household, including guests and pets, partaking meal from the same kitchens is taken as unit for diet survey. Subjects have been drawn from different age groups for nutritional assessment. Questionnaire method was employed for the assessment of dietary intake. The study observed that the tribals use more water in their food preparations. Not only the cereals and even the vegetables and leafy vegetables are cooked in excess water and the water is thrown. Though different kinds of food available in the different areas of the State, there are no much regional variation in the preparations. Mutton and milk products are restricted in 3 months after delivery. Pregnant women avoid papaya fruit and twin bananas which they believe to cause abortion and twin births respectively. A change in diet is invariable during illness. Among the 4 non-conventional foods analyzed, rajkeera seeds and dried mushroom are fair sources of protein. Analysis of nine cereals millet products can only consumed by the tribals showed that the cereal products. The caloric in take of PTGs of Visakhapatnam is deficient to RDA by 6.77% but surplus by 24.25% and 15.83% in comparison to all India average diet and Chenchu diet respectively. Clear cut food policy taking into consideration natural foods, requirement of fruits from nutritional angle and food to be made available within the purchasing capacity of tribals is needed so that the infant child mortality and blindness and tuberculosis, general weakness and physical inefficiency to increase the outputs due to caloric deficiency can be tackled.