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ABSTRACT_
Nutrition is a crucial factor determining health and is a very importantfactor in determining the health of any population. Diet is one of the prime constituent of health and nutritional status. A diet which is inadequate in both quantity and quality will mark for elevated level of malnutrition. Adolescents nutritional status has been considered as a vital tool in the assessment and promotion of health. This study assessed the nutritional status and dietary pattern of adolescent of both gender age groups. Height and weight were measured and dietary intake was recorded by 24 hour recall method. The mean intake of food stuff of fats and oils, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, fruits and was gruesomely inadequate varying only 28.7, 24.7, 12.3, and 34.3 per cent respectively of the suggested RDA allowances. Pulses and other vegetables were adequate meeting the allowances. The study revealed prevalence of under nutrition and decreased energy intake along with low micronutrient intake among the adolescents. The prevalence of stunting among adolescent boys and girls of fishing community was 55.5 and 63.8 per cent and thinness was 38.3 and 29.8 percent respectively. The results of the study revealed inadequate intake of foods by the adolescent which is expressed as hidden hunger. The protein calorie inadequacy and the prevalence of stunting data strongly highlights the requirement of awareness programs for the adolescent in fishing community on importance of balanced diet and good nutrition practices to improve the nutritional status of the adolescent.
INTRODUCTION
Adolescents nutritional status has been considered as a vital tool in the assessment and promotion of health. Health is a key factor in entering, enduring and performing in life [1], The nutritional status of a nation is highly reliant on the nutritional status of the adolescents as girls of this age are prospective mothers and boys form the prime work force. Interestingly, only now there are few Government health and nutrition schemes which benefits for adolescents. Maximum physical growth at adolescence occurs only during the adolescents phase and the maximum of it is seen in the preadolescent period. Fishermen are the special group of some grave way of life. All over India, hundreds of men and women prolong to be involved in fish related activity, mainly...