Mahila Mahavidyalaya Amravati

Nootan Vidarbha Shikshan Mandal's Amaravati

Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Jog Chowk, Amravati

Affiliated to Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University. Amravati
Tq.Amravati Dist. Amravati 444601

Nutrition Awareness and Education Program


Introduction

          The prevalent emphasis of Higher Education Institutes is in the holistic development through conscious efforts to bring the desired changes in the learner through education. Apart from curriculum teaching sensitizing students and imparting education to create awareness leading to corrective behavior is the goal of the institution. Thus the institute created a program to spread nutritional awareness. Nutritional problems can be categorized broadly in two categories, viz. problems related to insufficient intake in relation to nutritional needs and those resulting from intake of junk food and excessive and unbalanced intake of food. Mahila Mahavidyalaya emphasizes on addressing both the problems, though mostly, stresses on Malnutrition and Anemia. Mahila Mahavidyalaya works on imparting nutrition education amongst the students of the institute as most of the students belong to socially and financially marginalized families, rural Amravati and malnutrition affected areas of Amravati who are vulnerable to diet related issues. Hemoglobin testing conducted by the institute revealed the fact that most of the students of the institute are Anemic. Knowledge can be the best cure and prevention, thus a comprehensive nutrition education and awareness program is devised by the Department of Home-economics. Mahila Mahavidyalaya not only assures the empowerment and enrichment of the lives of the students but it also strives for the welfare of the neighboring community.

Context

           Humans need both macro and micro nutrients to lead a healthy and happy life. Reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity are the indicators of inadequate nutrition. A healthy body is less vulnerable to communicable diseases as the immunity is well sustained by balanced diet and adequate nutrition. However, India faces major health challenges. Large number of population, mostly women and children, has Iron Deficiency Anemia. Tribal regions and other parts of India are affected by malnutrition due to poor nutrition whereas affluent families face obesity challenges due to improper diet. Thus, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare attaches significant importance on adequate and well balanced diet to maintain good physical and mental health of the citizens of India, as it not only affects the efficiency and productivity an individual and the family but also the entire nation.

Objectives

          

1. To raise and spread nutritional and health awareness.

2. To enhance student’s academic skill, personals skills and civic responsibility.

3. To connect academe, students and society for improved nutritional and health knowledge.

4. To disseminate nutritional, health and hygiene information and provide training to the students, community workers and homemakers.

5. To develop skills in culinary art for better enrichment of nutrients.

6. To engage the students in community based participatory research to improve practice or bring social change.

Practice

          Knowledge can be the best cure and prevention, thus a comprehensive nutrition education and awareness program is devised by the Department of Home-economics. The components of nutrition education programs are:
1. Increasing Nutritional Knowledge by providing information balanced diet, nutritional need of the individual in each phase of life-cycle, causes of nutritional disorder, intake of adequate nutrients and the its relation with health, Food hygiene and food safety. National Nutrition Week is celebrated every year in the institute.
2. Promoting mandatory food and nutritional practices by providing information on food taboos, choosing locally available and highly nutritive food, less familiar and often neglected food due to lack of information, correcting food cooking habits, conservation of nutrients etc.
3. Spreading awareness in the target groups through community outreach program.