Nutritional intake of rural and urban adolescent girls of Haryana (India)

A study was conducted on 400 rural and urban adolescent girls aged 13–15 years belonging to two districts of Haryana. Food and nutrient intakes for three consecutive days were collected. Intakes of cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, fats and oils and sugar and jaggery were significantly lower than the RDI for both rural and urban respondents while at the same time rural respondents consumed significantly higher amount of milk, fruits, sugar and jaggery. Calculation of nutrient intakes showed that calcium, thiamine and vit. C needs were met for all respondents. Intakes of food energy, protein, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin were significantly higher for the rural respondents when compared to the urban. Nevertheless mean intakes of food energy, protein, iron, riboflavin, niacin and Vit A were significantly below the RDA for both rural and urban adolescent girls.