Impact of Health Educational Programme on Nutritional Status: A School Based Intervention Study among Adolescent Girls in an Urban Slum

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Personal hygiene and correct dietary habits play a pivotal role in maintaining proper nutrition. Adolescent girls being future mother should be the target of health education programmes. Proper nutrition in this period of active growth will lead to a healthy adult and in turn healthy community. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a heath education programme regarding personal hygiene and dietary habits in improving nutritional status of the adolescent girl students. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two Government Bengali medium secondary schools located in a slum area under Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The study consisted of three steps. First a baseline survey was conducted to assess nutritional status of the students using WHO Z scores. This was followed by an intervention phase of 6 months during which weekly lecture and demonstration classes were taken in the study school. Second step was reassessment of nutritional status at post intervention. Third step was to follow them for another 6 months and reassess nutritional status to establish the effect of intervention. RESULTS: There was statistically significant decrement in proportion of undernourished students in study school from the pretest level to post-test level as compared to the control school and furthermore this improvement in nutrition was carried in follow up period. CONCLUSION: Sustained health education programme regarding correct hygiene and diet, with active involvement of parents and proper implementation of Government strategies can lead to better nutritional status and health of adolescents.