ఫుడ్ ప్రాసెసింగ్ & టెక్నాలజీ జర్నల్

నైరూప్య

Nutrition Security among Karbis of Kamrup District of Assam

Ritu Geu Goswami

Food security means availability and access to food to all individuals throughout the year whereas nutrition security
means the food which is available should provide the essential nutrients as per individual requirements. A study was
conducted to assess the dietary intake and nutritional status of Karbi tribe of Kamrup district of Assam. The study
covered 400 women of Chandrapur and Dimoria block of Kamrup district in the age group of 15 to 49 years. Sample
selection was done by using purposive random sampling method. Dietary intake was assessed by using 24-hour recall
method and Body Mass Index was determined by measuring the height and weight by using standard procedures. The
study revealed that the Karbis included cereals, pulses and flesh foods and green leafy vegetables every day in
adequate amounts in their meals which are the major sources of macro and micronutrients. Flesh foods which were
included in the dietary every day were fresh fish, dry fish and meat which meets the protein requirement among the
Karbis. Carbohydrate intake may be mentioned as adequate as adequacy level of cereals ranged from 103 per cent to
116 per cent which was more than the RDA given by ICMR (2011). Similarly, the micronutrients intake was good as
green leafy vegetables and other vegetables were included every day and adequacy level of leafy vegetables ranged from
106 per cent to 112 per cent which was also more than the recommended RDA. The use of herbs as green leafy
vegetables among the Karbi dietary help to increase immunity to the body. Karbi dietary was adequate and this is
revealed by the fact that very less (15.25 %) number of respondents was underweight. And none of the respondents
were moderately underweight (<17.0) or severely underweight (≤ 16.0). Majority (75 %) of adult women of the studied
area were having normal nutritional status (BMI between 18.5 to 24.99). The study concluded that the nutrition
security was much better among the Karbi population of Kamrup district of Assam as the prevalence of
undernutrition was very less in comparison to other tribal groups of India.