Assessment of Nutritional Status among Young Adults in Gurugram (Haryana), India

Abstract

Assessing nutritional status is essential, whether to determine if a person has a nutritional imbalance stemming from an underlying issue or to evaluate the likelihood of developing a pathological condition as a result of nutritional imbalance. Poor nutrition can lead to the onset or advancement of numerous diet-related diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, anemia, and high blood pressure. As per the WHO report (2016), in India, 23.6% of young adults aged 18 and above are underweight, while 19.7% are classified as overweight. This research was conducted to evaluate the eating habits and nutritional health of young adults residing in Manesar city in Gurugram. A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the anthropometric profile and nutritional status of young adults, based on body mass index (BMI) and 24hr.diet recall method and using FFQ (food frequency questionnaire). The nutrients intake was analysed through a software Diet-cal. The anthropometric profile, which includes height, weight, and BMI, was recorded for 500 young adults, both male and female, selected via a snowball sampling technique. Data collection utilized pretested, structured self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS statistical package (version 20.0). In this research, following the WHO (2008) BMI classification for adults, it was revealed that 6.8% of males and 6.4% of females were underweight, while 34.4% of males and 25.4% of females were identified as overweight. The most common food groups consumed daily by the respondents include cereals, legumes, pulses, root vegetables, tubers, cooking oils, and fats. Conversely, only 21% and 24% of the total participants consumed green leafy vegetables and fruits while sugar intake was 40% daily, respectively. Males exhibited higher nutrient intake, including protein, carbohydrates, and energy, compared to females were having high intake of fat. Evaluating nutritional status provides a more in-depth view of nutrient intake within a population. Poor nutritional status among young adults has been identified as a lifestyle challenge, they confront.