2008, Volume 14 No. 1

ARTICLE 7

Nutritional Status of Adult Men from the Oraon Tribe in Ranchi District of Jharkhand, India

Sudip Datta Banik

ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate anthropometric characteristics and nutritional status among adult male (18 years and above) Oraons (n = 290), a tribe in the Ranchi District of the state of Jharkhand in India. The anthropometric characteristics (stature, body weight and mid upper arm circumference or MUAC) were categorised into three age-groups (18-39 years, 40-59 years and 60 years and above). This particular investigation recorded a low (18.48Kg/m2) body mass index (BMI) and a high frequency of under-nutrition (53.10% chronic energy deficiency or CED) among the adult Oraons. BMI and CED of the adult Oraons were also compared with some populations of eastern India. It is noted that 38.28% of adult Oraons suffer from under-nutrition when the nutritional status of their population is evaluated by the standard cut-off points of MUAC. Pearson correlations of BMI and MUAC with age exhibited significantly (p< 0.001) negative correlations among the Oraons. Correlations between BMI and MUAC in their population showed a high significance (p< 0.0001). Significant age-related variations (tested by one-way ANOVA) in anthropometric parameters were observed in the Oroan population. Linear regression analyses revealed more or less significant negative impacts of age on BMI and MUAC in the population.

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