Malnutrition Status of Adolescent Girls in India: A Need for the Hour

Deepika Anand, R. K. Anuradha

Abstract: Adolescent girls form an important vulnerable and neglected sector of the Indian population. Adolescence is a transition phase through which a child becomes an adult. Specific nutritional needs and considerations are required for efficient growth and development. In India, adolescent girls suffer from various nutritional as well as non-nutritional problems. Freedom from malnutrition is a basic human right and their alleviation is a fundamental prerequisite for human and national development. Adolescent girls form an important vulnerable sector of population that constitutes about one-tenth of Indian population. About 30 % of Indias population belongs to the adolescent age group of 10-19 years. The nutritional status of adolescent girls, the future mothers, contributes significantly to the nutritional status of the community. The purpose of this article is to emphasize on the prevalence of malnutrition status among adolescent girls and to summarize various nutritional problems faced by them in India.

Keywords: Malnutrition, Adolescent Girls, Vulnerable Sector, Nutritional Needs and Nutritional Problems