Diet Among People in the Terai Region of Nepal, an Area of Micronutrient Deficiency

Abstract

In the Terai region, despite its ecological richness, the people have long suffered from a deficiency of micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron and zinc. The aim of this study was to investigate dietary and nutritional intakes among people in the Terai region of Nepal. The results were compared by sex and ethnicity. Food consumption surveys (one-day weighed records) were conducted among 114 people (55 Mushar and 59 Tharu). Nutritional intakes were calculated using Nepali food composition and other tables. The diet in the Terai region was characterized by a large amount of rice consumed with a tiny amount of curry or dal as a side dish. Intakes of vitamin A, iron, riboflavin and selenium were less than 50% of the recommended daily allowance irrespective of ethnicity or sex (with the exception of iron intake among Tharu males). Intakes of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus and zinc were higher among the Tharu than the Mushar, while intakes of selenium and iodine were higher among the Mushar than the Tharu. The nutritional significance of these differences was slight. Protein intake (per kg body weight) was lower in females than in males, while the energy-adjusted micronutrient intakes did not differ by sex. Intakes of vitamin A, iron, riboflavin and selenium were deficient among the participants. Intervention projects such as the introduction of kitchen gardens or fish farming may be effective, but will increase the degree of inequality between the two ethnic groups.

Low dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among lactating women in a peri-urban area of Nepal

“…These findings are in line with other studies evaluating the diet of Nepalese women (34)(35)(36) . Rice contributed about 61 % of the women's total energy intake: rice with vegetable curry and, to a certain extent, lentil soup was widely consumed by the women, as described in other studies from Nepal (35,36) . The low adequacy of the intake of folate, vitamin B 12 and riboflavin in the present study coincides with the findings of studies among women of reproductive age from Burkina Faso (12) , Mali (31) and Bangladesh (32) .…”

High iodine intake by preschool children in Miyagi prefecture, Japan

“…A recent report from China states that 24 and 35 % of the men and women, respectively, had thyroid nodules, an indicator of insufficient iodine intake [41] in areas where table salt was not iodized, suggesting that iodine intake was insufficient among general population even in coastal areas in China. Similarly, a publication on population in two regions in Nepal [42] reported low iodine intake levels; the GM levels were 3.14 and 2.62 lg/kg/ day for men and women in one region, and 3.02 and 2.07 lg/kg/day in the other when body weights of 65 and 53 kg were assumed for body weights of men and women, respectively [38].…”

Seasonality of Consumption of Nonstaple Nutritious Foods among Young Children from Nepal’s 3 Agroecological Zones

“…As in many other low-income settings, Nepali children consume a primarily cereal-based diet that is low in micronutrients (23, 24). Studies indicate that intakes of fruits, vegetables, and animal-source foods are generally quite low (25–27). Only a few previous studies have examined the seasonality of consumption of nonstaple nutritious foods in Nepal (24, 28, 29).…”