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This study delves into the complex web of factors influencing dietary adequacy in schools and the impact of cultural beliefs on food choices. By addressing extreme poverty, disease prevalence, and lack of community awareness, the research seeks to provide insights into why many people in poor countries have poor dietary habits. The conceptual framework explores the availability, accessibility, and absorption of food, while emphasizing the influence of local traditions and customs on eating habits. Research questions focus on growth patterns in children, household nutritional choices, social sub-group disparities, and solutions for addressing nutritional deficiencies. The study will be carried out in diverse locations to capture a wide range of findings. Outputs include policy briefs, research publications, community consultations, and case studies for educational purposes.
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An Overview Do we know what they eat, and why? A Study on School-level Dietary Adequacy and Impact of Cultural Beliefs
The Nutrition Puzzle – Why Do So Many People in Poor Countries Eat So Badly and What Can Be Done About It?
Factors impacting nutritional outcomes • Extreme poverty, as well as other socio-economic factors, such as poor educational attainment, low income, gender differentials, maternal awareness and education which determine the quantum and composition of household food consumption. • Disease prevalence, both due to lack of hygiene and sanitation, as well as due to poor nutrition, which impact nutritional outcomes. • Lack of community knowledge and awareness in the minds of the adults caring for the children. Many myths and beliefs still prevail, that dictate local customs regarding feeding practices. With-holding nutritious food from a sick child and inappropriate feeding of pregnant and lactating mothers are examples.
Conceptual Framework • Availabilityrefers to the total quantum of food grain produced per capita. • Accessibility speaks to (i) the capacity of the individual or household to procure the required amount of food for their use; and (ii) the distribution of the food within the household. Both these dimensions are closely associated with poverty and related socio-economic factors (gender, educational levels, occupation, income, household size etc.). • Absorption of food has to do with biological ability to utilize nutrition. • Local traditions and customs relating to food and eating habits are very strong and important, differing from region to region.
Research Questions • Why are there differences in the growth patterns of children in Grades 1-5 - to what extent are these differences determined by nutritional intake of both macro- and micro-nutrients? • Why do households make the nutritional choices that they do: (a) economic and social factors; (b) traditional and cultural practices; or (c) some combination of these factors? • Why are there differences in nutritional outcomes among certain social sub-groups (gender, tribalsetc.)? • How can locally available solutions (short- or long-term) be mainstreamed into the everyday lives and diets of the children to address significant nutritional deficiencies?
ResearchDesign • The study will be conducted in 3 locations - Yadgir, Mandya and HD Kote • These represent a substantially different demographic and geography • This variety in the characteristics of the districts will make for interesting variations in the findings and add considerably to the richness of the findings.
Research Outputs • Policy Briefs: analysis of the MDMS; TPDS; ICDS • Research publications • Community level consultations • Case studies/course material
