Dietary Pattern, Body Composition, and Blood Profile of Adolescent Girls : A Study

This study aimed at studying the outcome of dietary habits on body composition and blood profile of adolescent girls in Puducherry. It involved multiple methodological approaches like survey, nutritional assessment, body composition analysis and biochemical analysis. Sample size was 1170 adolescent girls between 19-21 years. A self administered questionnaire was used for eliciting details on their life style practices. Prescribed standard tools were used for assessing the body composition. The result showed that most of them had the average fat percentage; metabolic age and resting metabolism were lower than the standard cut off points. Every two out of five individuals were found to be undernourished. About 5 percent of the respondents exhibited abnormal body composition parameters such as metabolic age, visceral fat, resting metabolism and fat percentage. Most of the anaemic individuals were vegetarians (65%) whereas most of the ova-vegetarians (42%) presented with normal haemoglobin content. The overall results of the study emphasizes the fact that the good quality diet accompanied with physical exercise is essential for eradicating malnutrition from the community.