Body Mass Index (BMI) of the Adolescent Girls in Tribal Region of Kodaikanal District

Nutritional deficiencies in adolescence period are more prevalent in India. There are 253.2 million adolescents in India, which constitutes 20.9 percent of total Indian population. Objective To assess the prevalence of under-nutrition among the tribal adolescent girls Kodaikanal region. Methods A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 500 Paliyan tribal girls aged 12-19 years in tribal regions, Kodaikanal. The interview schedule was used to collect socioeconomic data and other nutritional assessments. The anthropometrical profile is a vital tool to assess the health status of the individual. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated by using standard method. Results The results of the present work results denoted that majority of the respondents were undernourished.