Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: November | Volume: 7 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 252-256
Socio-Economic Status and Nutrient Intake of Below Poverty Line (BPL) Families Living in a Slum of Delhi
Deepika Pal1, Dr. Shavika Gupta2
1Assistant Professor, Department of Home Science, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, India.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi, India.
Corresponding Author: Deepika Pal
ABSTRACT
India was successful in achieving self-sufficiency by increasing its food production but it could not solve the problem of chronic household food insecurity. This study was conducted to assess the socio-economic status and dietary pattern for all individuals within the families Below Poverty Line (BPL) living in a slum of Delhi. The data was collected from 40 BPL families living in the slum of Seemapuri, Delhi using the standardized procedures and equipment. Majority of the families belonged to schedule caste. Three-fourth of the fathers were daily wagers and 95 % mothers were housewives. Majority of the families were living in semi-pucca houses, using shared toilet and had access to drinking water. The intake of energy, protein, fat, vitamin C and B-complex vitamins were much higher in adults as compared to children in the BPL families owing to higher consumption of cereals, pulses, roots and tubers, fat and meat by fathers and mothers. However, diets of infants and preschoolers were deficient in most of the nutrients. In comparison, nutrient composition of the diets of older children (7-18 years) was better than younger ones (7months - 6years) and poorer than adults in the family. Unequal distribution of food items was seen among the family members living in an urban slum.
Key words: Food Insecurity, Dietary Pattern, Malnutrition, Nutrient Deficiency, Urbanization.