Community-based approach to combat micronutrient deficiencies among irular tribal women: An education intervention

Tribal women may suffer from poor nutritional health, lack of awareness of micronutrients, reduced dietary diversity, underutilization of micronutrient supplements and locally available food resources, poor hygiene, and sanitation. This study aims to examine the impact of educational intervention on the micronutrient status of the tribal women (n = 714, 15-60 years) in 15 hamlets of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, by census sampling method. Self-structured pretested questionnaires, participatory learning methods, and focus group discussions were adopted to record the background information (anthropometry, clinical signs of micronutrient deficiency, hemoglobin, and dietary assessments). Even though there was no increase in body mass index (BMI), there was a significant change in age, income, and BMI with hemoglobin levels. Impact analysis showed significant behavior change in the utilization of locally available micronutrient-rich foods, improved access to supplements, and dietary diversity. Sustained attempts to educate tribal women proved to be effective in attaining their nutritional security and in the families.