India is yet to achieve the problem of malnutrition particularly in tribal areas. Malnutrition results in poor health and the worst victims are the children in tribal areas. One third of child mortality is attributed to malnutrition.
Paper long abstract:
The present study is an attempt to study the health and nutritional status of the Khond in Andhra Pradesh and their counterparts across the border in Odisha.
The objectives of the study are: to gain empirical knowledge on consumption of food and to measure the gap ,if any, between actual intake and ideal need . The sample of 110 households is drawn from three villages, two in A.P and one in Odisha. The data pertain to Socio-economic and demographic aspects, body measurements, items of food taken in each household and within household by each member.
The results indicate that 74.30 per cent or 3/4 population in the sample is under fed. As per Body Mass Index the men seem to be better nourished than women and 75 per cent children are under nourished. The subjects of the Andhra Pradesh villages are better fed than their Odisha counterparts.