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Food consumption pattern of

Indian rural preschool children
(four to five years)
Manu and N. Khetarpaul

Food
consumption
pattern
127

Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University,

Hisar, India
Abstract
Purpose The aim of the present nutritional survey was to assess the food consumption pattern of
183 Indian preschool children (four to five years) in Fatehabad district of Haryana.
Design/methodology/approach Data regarding food frequency, myths and intake were collected
with the help of questionnaires and structured interviews. Food consumption patterns were recorded
using a 24-hour recall for three consecutive days.
Findings The food frequency pattern indicated that wheat was the most accepted cereal among
almost all the families and the consumption of pulses was weekly or on alternate days. They consumed
roots and tubers frequently but the consumption of green leafy vegetables, fruits and other vegetables
depended on the availability only. Most of the families consumed buffalos milk (93 per cent) and desi
ghee (73 per cent) daily. More than half of the respondents mothers believed bajra, maize (corn), some
pulses, bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, desi ghee and sweets
are hot foods. According to the 24-hour recall method for three consecutive days, the daily mean intake
of all foodstuffs, namely, cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables,
fruits, fats and oils, milk and milk products and sugar and jaggery was lower than their respective
recommended dietary intake in the daily diets of preschool children.
Originality/value On the basis of findings of this study, nutrition policy makers can plan the
strategies for improving the nutritional status of preschool children who are an important segment of
the Indian population.
Keywords Diet, Children (age groups), Food products, India
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Healthy children are an important aspect of a nations health. Nutrition of pre-school
children is of paramount importance not only for survival, but also because the
development for health, strength and intellectual vitality is laid during that period
(Thakar and Patil, 1990). Unfortunately in developing countries like India, the
preschool children are extremely vulnerable because food available to them is neither
adequate nor suitable for maintenance of resistance to disease as well as physical
development. According to Iyer (1999), 40 per cent of malnourished children in the
world are found in India. The growing children must have enough food having all
essential nutrients. Children who do not have an adequate nutrition intake will become
malnourished. The rate of growth and development of pre-school children depends to a
large measure on the adequacy of the diets consumed by them. The diet and nutrition
surveys carried out by The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) and The
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in 12 states of country revealed that the diets of
the rural population are inadequate and deficient in most of the nutrients. There is
widespread energy deficiency in the rural households. About 60 per cent of preschool

British Food Journal

Vol. 108 No. 2, 2006
pp. 127-140
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0007-070X
DOI 10.1108/00070700610644942

BFJ
108,2

128

children are under weight, 62 per cent are stunted and about 15 per cent suffer from
wasting (Vijayaraghavan and Rao, 1998).
Studies undertaken at NIN, Hyderabad have confirmed that preschool children who
received supplements which provided about 300 calories and 3-4 gm of protein a day
showed a very satisfactory growth rate. However, the rural preschool children were not
consuming these supplements properly, and the diets which they consumed are also
influenced by social customs, beliefs, superstitions, gender biasness, illiteracy, food
fads, religion, cultural behaviour, changes in living environment and socio-economic
status of families (Premakumari and Devadas, 1990). Besides these factors, the
unfavourable attitude and ignorance of mothers about the appropriate weaning and
feeding practices, and lack of awareness about balanced diet serve as major
contributing factors leading to the nutritional problems of the Indian rural children.
Hence, the incidence of malnutrition varies greatly from place to place, depending on
local dietary and social factors.
The present study investigates the frequency of food intake, myths associated with
foods and the consumption patterns of various preschool children (four to five years) of
Haryana State.
Materials and methods
Selection of blocks and villages
The present study was conducted in Fatehabad district of Haryana State (India) and
envisaged selection of two blocks by purposively sampling. Then a list of villages from
these two blocks (Bhuna and Fatehabad) of Fatehabad district was obtained from the
Block Development Office. Two villages i.e. Gorakhpur and Khasapathana from
Bhuna block and two villages namely Matana and Barseen from Fatehabad block were
selected by simple random sampling (Panse and Sukhatme, 1961).
Selection of respondents
A list of preschool children in the age group of four to five years was prepared with the
help of Anganwari (field) workers in the four selected villages. Out of these, 183
respondents (94 male and 89 female) from the four villages were selected randomly.
Data collection
The data regarding food frequency, food consumption and food myths prestructured
were collected with the help of questionnaires and structured interviews by paying
visits to the study areas. Information regarding the intake of food for three consecutive
days was collected from the mothers of children personally by the researcher using a
24-hour recall method, as used by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB)
(1980). The standard household measures including containers of six consecutive sizes;
spoons, glasses and serving bowls, were shown to the respondents mothers to help
them indicate exact amount of foods which were prepared in the house daily and, out of
the total prepared food, the exact amount of foods consumed by each family member of
the respondents. In order to assess the exact amount of wheat flour, the mothers were
asked about the size of the unleavened bread/paranthas (toasted unleavened bread
containing salt and fat). General information on consistency of foods especially dals
(cooked legumes) and vegetables was asked for more accuracy in calculation. All the
foods consumed by the respondents were cooked in the laboratory under conditions
similar to those of the respondents households and accordingly, the standard raw

weights were calculated for each food. The mean daily food intake was calculated by
taking the mean of three days intake. Average intake of the subjects was compared
with the recommended dietary intake of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
(NIN, 1998).

Food
consumption
pattern

Statistical analysis of data

The data were analyzed with the help of percentages, mean ^ standard deviation (SD)
and Z test.

129

Z test
Z test was applied to study the significance of mean of a random sample with that of
the recommended daily intake when sample size was more than 30:
Z

jx 2 mj
p
s= n

where:
x Mean of sample observation.

m Reference value.
n Sample size.

s SD of the sample.
Results
The information regarding frequency and myths associated with foodstuffs intake and
daily mean food intake of boys and girls of four to five years has been discussed as
given below.
Nature and frequency of food intake by the respondents and their families
Cereals. Frequency of food intake analysis in Table I revealed that wheat was the most
accepted cereal among the families of the respondents as it was consumed daily by 100
per cent of those selected. Rice and corn were not consumed daily. Rice was consumed
alternately (7.33 per cent), weekly (27.67 per cent), fortnightly (7.67 per cent) and rarely
(43.67 per cent). The majority of the families (94 per cent) did not consume maize (corn)
and a few consumed it alternately (0.67 per cent), weekly (3 per cent), fortnightly (1.33
per cent) or rarely (1 per cent). In the winter season, bajra (pearl millet) was consumed
quite frequently by the families.
Pulses. Although daily and alternate day consumption of various pulses including
bengal gram, black gram, red gram and lentil was minimal, yet green gram was taken
weekly by majority of the families i.e. 66 per cent followed by its consumption on
alternate days by 22.33 per cent families. Soybean was not popular as 92.62 per cent of
the families did not consume it. More than 50 per cent of the families consumed lentil
(52 per cent), green gram (66 per cent) and bengal gram (52.67 per cent) once a week.
Leafy vegetables. The daily intake of various green leafy vegetable, namely,
amaranth, bathua (Chenopodium album), fenugreek leaves, mustard and spinach was
minimal. However, coriander leaves (34 per cent) and mint (14 per cent) were included
in the diet daily by some of the families. Most of the families (56-70 per cent) consumed

1.33
4.67
34.00
5.33

1.67
14.33
5.33
39.33
37.67
47.00
82.00
4.33
45.33
51.00
22.33

118
113
141
246
13
136
153
67

1.00
0.67
5.67
0.67

1.67

100.0

20.33

Daily

4
14
102
16

5
43
16

3
2
17
2

Pulses
Bengal gram
Black gram
Green gram
Red gram
Moth bean
Lentil
Soybean

Leafy vegetables
Amaranth
Bathua (Chenopodium album)
Coriander
Fenugreek leaves
Bengal gram leaves
Mustard
Mint
Spinach
Roots and tubers
Radish
Carrot
Potato
Onion
Colocasia
Ginger
Garlic
Turnip

300

61

Cereals
Wheat
Rice
Bajra (Pearl millet)
Corn

Table I.
Frequency of food intake
by families of
preschoolers
n

44
46
79
12
21
15
30
24

56
68
62
70
18
69
31
62

29
21
67
6
3
24
3

22
110
2

14.67
15.33
26.33
4.00
7.00
5.00
10.00
8.00

18.67
22.67
20.67
23.33
6.00
23.00
10.33
20.67

9.67
7.00
22.33
2.00
1.00
8.0
1.00

7.33
36.67
0.67

Alternately
n
%

128
125
47
29
108
30
30
69

169
179
99
177
37
210
82
210

158
123
198
33
52
156
15

42.67
41.67
15.67
9.67
36.00
10.00
10.00
28.00

56.33
59.67
33.00
59.00
12.33
70.00
27.33
70.00

52.67
41.00
66.00
11.00
17.33
52.00
5.00

27.67
25.00
3.00

Weekly
%

83
75
9

3
7

12

1
1
1

5
3

23
8
4

1.00
2.33

4.00

3.00

0.33
0.33
0.33

2.67

1.67
1.00

0.67

7.67
2.67
1.33

Fortnightly
n
%

6
9
18
3
72
32
14
56

4
4
12
11
10
9
14
6

19
16
12
10
9
14
4

131
13
3

2.00
3.00
6.00
1.00
24.00
10.67
4.67
18.67

1.33
1.33
4.00
3.67
3.33
3.00
4.67
2.00

6.33
5.33
4.00
3.33
3.00
4.67
1.33

43.67
4.33
1.00

Rarely

130

Foodstuffs

4
4
8
10
74
87
73
75

67
34
24
25
235
7
122
6

86
135
6
247
236
101
278

41
33
282

1.33
1.33
2.67
3.33
24.67
29.00
24.33
25.00
(continued)

22.33
11.33
8.00
8.33
78.33
2.33
40.67
2.00

28.67
45.00
2.00
82.33
78.67
33.67
92.67

13.67
11.00
94.00

Not consumed
n
%

BFJ
108,2

n
2
167
10
14
201
14
17

64

22
279

20
201
94

219
107
12
95

Foodstuffs

Other vegetables
Brinjal
Tomato
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Green chillies
Lady finger
Peas

Fruits
Guava
Apple
Banana
Ber (Zizypus)
Lemon
Orange

Milk and milk products

Cows milk
Buffalos milk
Goats milk
Curd
Buttermilk
Butter
Sweets

Fats and oils

Desi ghee (milk fat)
Hydrogenated fat
Refined oil
Mustard oil

73.00
35.67
4.00
31.67

7.33
93.00

6.67
67.00
31.33

0.67

21.33

0.67
55.67
3.33
4.67
67.00
4.67
5.67

Daily

3
7

14
36
25

38

24
9
34
31
15
29
41

1.00
2.33

4.67
12.00
8.33

12.67

8.00
3.00
11.33
10.33
5.00
9.67
13.67

Alternately
n
%

26

58
11
20
22

22

50
70
31

8.67

19.33
3.67
6.67
7.33

7.33

16.67
23.33
10.33

53.00
32.00
71.33
69.67
17.33
71.00
69.67

Weekly
%

159
96
214
209
52
213
209

20

71

34
71
24

13
68

4
3
3

1.33

6.67

23.67

11.33
23.66
8.00

4.33
22.67

1.33
1.00
1.00

Fortnightly
n
%

32
8
11
67

2
2

123
7
59
124

177
183
196
170
171
203

48
15
30
33
13
30
27

10.67
2.67
3.67
22.66

0.67
0.67

41.00
2.33
19.67
41.33

58.70
61.00
65.33
56.66
57.00
67.67

16.00
5.00
10.00
11.00
4.33
10.00
9.00

Rarely

21.00
3.33
3.00
4.33
6.33
4.67
2.00
22.33
15.34
9.33
7.33
7.00
9.67
91.33
4.00
100
21.67
15.00
34.00
27.67
16.33
53.00
92.33
44.67

63
10
9
13
19
14
6
67
46
28
22
21
29
273
12
300
65
45
102
83
49
159
277
134

Not consumed
n
%

Food
consumption
pattern
131

Table I.

BFJ
108,2

132

amaranth, bathua (Chenopodium album), fenugreek leaves, mustard leaves once a

week.
Roots and tubers. The majority of the respondents used onion (82 per cent), ginger
(45 per cent) and garlic (51 per cent) daily in their diets. In comparison to other roots
and tubers, potato, radish and carrots were consumed more frequently. Only a few
families (1.33 to 2.67 per cent) did not consume these roots and tubers at all. About
one-quarter of the respondents families (24 to 29 per cent) did not include colocasia,
ginger, garlic and turnip in their diets.
Other vegetables. The majority of the families consumed tomato (55.67 per cent) and
green chillies (67 per cent) daily. The daily consumption or consumption on alternate
days of other vegetables including brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, lady finger and peas
was minimal. Most of the families (53 to 71 per cent) were consuming these vegetables
except tomato and green chillies once a week. Fortnightly consumption of these
vegetables was only by 1 to 1.33 per cent. Some of the families (21 per cent) did not
consume brinjal at all, while 2 to 6 per cent of the families did not take other vegetables
in their diets.
Fruits. Intake of fruits was very low. Daily and alternately consumption of fruits by
the families was almost nil except ber (Zizyphus) (12.67 per cent) and lemon (21.33 per
cent). Similarly, weekly consumption of fruits was also not very heartening except in
case of banana (16.67 per cent) and ber (Zizyphus) (23.33 per cent). Other fruits like
guava, apple, orange, etc. were consumed fortnightly or rarely.
Milk and milk products. Buffalo milk was consumed more in comparison to cows
milk by the majority of the families (93 per cent) who were taking it daily. A few per
cent of families (7 per cent) were taking cows milk. No family was taking goats milk.
Among milk products the daily intake of buttermilk was relatively more in comparison
to curd, the percentage being 67 and 6.67 per cent, respectively. About 34 per cent of
the families did not consume butter at all. No family was consuming sweets daily or on
alternate days. The majority of the families were consuming sweets rarely (41 per cent)
followed by nil consumption (27.67 per cent), fortnightly consumption (23.67 per cent)
and weekly consumption (7 per cent). Similarly, most of the families (35.67 per cent)
were using hydrogenated fat as a cooking medium daily.
Fats and oils. Desi ghee (animal fat) was consumed daily by the majority of families
(73 per cent). At the same time, a few (16 per cent) were not consuming it at all or rarely
(10.67 per cent). The consumption of refined vegetable oil was minimal as 92 per cent of
the families did not use it at all while 4 and 3.67 per cent of the families used it daily
and rarely, respectively. Mustard oil was also used as a cooking medium by 31.67 per
cent of the families daily and 22.66 per cent of them rarely. However, many of the
families (44.67 per cent) did not use it at all.
Myths associated with food intake by mothers of the respondents
The response of mothers of the respondents to different myths associated with foods is
depicted in Table II. People considered hot foods to be those which, after consumption,
produced heat in the body or could cause heart burning or acidity, e.g. garlic, bajra
(pearl millet), chillies and other spices. Curd, ice cream, cold milk, orange, lime fruit, etc.
were generally considered as cold foods and people avoided them when they suffer
from cold and flu, chest infection, etc. Foods, which were believed to be hot by more
than 50 per cent of the families, were pearl millet (bajra), corn, bengal gram, black
gram, red gram, moth bean, soybean, amaranth, bathua, fenugreek leaves, chick pea
leaves, mustard, potato, onion, colocasia, ginger, garlic, brinjal, sweets, desi ghee and

Hot

Cold

No response
n
%

Foodstuffs

Cereals
Wheat
Rice
Pearl millet
Corn

72
11
284
197

24.00
3.67
94.67
65.67

225
285
14
100

75.00
95.00
4.67
33.33

3
4
2
3

1.00
1.33
0.67
1.00

Pulses
Bengal gram
Black gram
Green gram
Red gram
Moth bean
Lentil
Soybean

166
170
38
171
170
142
178

55.33
56.67
12.67
57.00
56.67
47.33
59.33

132
125
260
116
121
155
108

44.00
41.67
86.67
38.67
40.33
51.67
36.00

2
5
2
13
9
3
14

0.67
1.67
0.67
4.33
3.00
1.00
4.67

Leafy vegetables
Amaranth
Bathua ((Chenopodium album)
Coriander
Fenugreek leaves
Bengal gram leaves
Mustard
Mint
Spinach

238
180
29
253
165
151
20
100

79.33
60.00
9.67
84.33
55.00
50.33
6.67
33.33

60
118
270
44
129
147
279
199

20.00
39.33
90.00
14.67
43.00
49.00
93.00
66.33

2
2
1
3
6
2
1
1

0.67
0.67
0.33
1.00
2.00
0.67
0.33
0.33

Roots and tubers

Radish
Carrot
Potato
Onion
Colocasia
Ginger
Garlic
Turnip

66
61
203
165
190
270
257
80

22.00
20.33
67.66
55.00
63.33
90.00
85.67
26.67

232
237
95
133
102
26
35
216

77.33
79.00
31.67
44.43
34.00
8.67
11.67
72.00

2
2
2
2
8
4
8
4

0.67
0.67
0.67
0.67
2.67
1.33
2.67
1.33

Other vegetables
Brinjal
Tomato
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Green chillies
Lady finger
Peas

208
115
56
50
87
39
47

69.33
38.33
18.67
16.67
29.00
13.00
15.67

85
179
238
248
207
255
247

28.33
59.67
79.33
82.67
69.00
85.00
82.33

7
6
6
2
6
6
6

2.33
2.00
2.00
0.67
2.00
2.00
2.00

64
11
12
89
15
14

21.33
3.67
4.00
29.67
5.00
4.67

234
287
286
209
282
283

78.00
95.67
95.33
69.67
94.00
94.33

2
2
2
2
3
3

0.67
0.67
0.67
0.67
1.00
1.00
(continued)

Fruits
Guava
Apple
Banana
Ber (Zizypus)
Lemon
Orange

Food
consumption
pattern
133

Table II.
Per cent response of
families to different
myths associated with
foods

BFJ
108,2

134

Table II.

Hot
Foodstuffs
Milk and milk products
Cows milk
Buffalos milk
Goats milk
Curd
Buttermilk
Butter
Fats and oils
Desi ghee (milk fat)
Hydrogenated fat
Refined oil
Mustard oil

No response
n
%

37
52
44
9
4
32

12.33
17.33
14.67
3.00
1.33
10.67

256
245
245
288
293
265

85.33
81.67
81.67
96.00
97.67
88.33

7
3
11
3
3
3

2.33
1.00
3.67
1.00
1.00
1.00

150
148
132
34

50.00
49.33
44.00
11.33

147
146
161
261

49.00
48.67
53.67
87.00

3
6
7
5

1.00
2.00
2.33
1.67

Cold

hydrogenated fat. Cold foods included wheat, rice, green gram, lentil, coriander, mint,
spinach, radish, carrot, turnip, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, green chillies, lady finger,
peas, fruits, curd, buttermilk, butter, cows milk, buffalo and goat milk, refined oil and
mustard oil.
Foods taken and avoided by respondents during major diseases
The data presented in Table III depict that the majority (70.35 per cent) of respondents
consumed light foods during fever, namely, tea, bread/biscuits, porridge (dalia)/cooked
rice and legume (khichdi) preparation, milk and fruit. A total of 12 per cent of children
consumed the foods as per doctors advice followed by as per own demand (8 per cent)
and whatever was available in the house (9 per cent). The majority of families (88 per
cent) did not avoid any specific food during fever. The remaining families avoided
unleavened bread i.e. chapati, buttermilk/curd and fried foods during fever, as per
doctors advice.
Similarly, during loose motions, the majority (71.5 per cent) of the children preferred
light foods including khichdi (rice and legume preparation), curd, buttermilk, banana,
cooked legume water, oral rehydration solution (ORS) and Isabgol. The remaining
children consumed food as per the doctors advice (15 per cent), whatever was available
in the house (7.56 per cent) and as per their own choice (5.81 per cent). More than half
(58 per cent) of the children did not avoid any food during loose motions.
In typhoid/measles, 50 per cent children consumed light foods, namely,
khichdi/porridge (26.16 per cent), dal (cooked legume), water (1.16 per cent), milk/tea
along with biscuits/bread (20.94 per cent) and khajoor (dates) (1.74 per cent). A total of
33 per cent of children consumed foods as per doctors advice and the remaining 8 and
9 per cent of children consumed food as per own demand and whatever was available
in the house, respectively.
Foods prepared on festivals by respondents families
The majority (64 to 82 per cent) of the families of respondents were preparing sweet
cereal preparation i.e. halwa, malpura (sweetened wheat flour preparation), kheer
(rice/milk/sugar), poori (ball shaped fried wheat bread) and sweets for the major Indian
festivals, namely, Teej, Holi, Diwali and Dusshera (Table IV).

Typhoid/Measles
I
II
III
IV

Loose motions
I
II
III
IV

Fever
I
II
III
IV

Foods accepted

As per advice of the doctor

As per demand of the child
Whatever available in the house
Light foods:
a) Khichdi/Dalia
b) Dal water
c) Milk/tea along with biscuits/bread
d) Monacca/Khajoor (dry dates)

As per advice of the doctor

As per demand of the child
Whatever available in the house
Light foods:
a) Khichdi and curd or khichdi alone
b) Rice, curd, buttermilk, banana, or dal (cooked
legume) water
c) Home treatment (ORS and Isabgol )

As per advice of the doctor

As per demand of the child
Whatever available in the house
Light foods:
a) Tea and bread/biscuits
b) Dalia (wheat porridge or khichdi rice and legume)
c) Milk and fruits

32.56
8.14
9.30
50.00
26.16
1.16
20.94
1.74

5.24

9
56
14
16
86
45
2
36
3

15.12
5.81
7.56
71.51
47.67
18.60

12.21
8.14
9.30
70.35
43.60
24.42
2.33

Percentage

26
10
13
123
82
32

21
14
16
121
75
42
4

No.

I
II
III

I
II
III
IV

I
II
III
IV
V

As per advice of the doctor

Cold food and chapati
Nil

Chapati/Chapati and milk

As per advice of the doctor
Fried foods
Nil

As per advice of the doctor

Chapati (unleavened bread)
Buttermilk/curd
Fried foods
Nil

Foods avoided

Percentage
12.21
8.14
12.79
11.63
55.23

12.79
9.89
19.18
58.14

29.07
18.02
52.91

No.
21
14
22
20
95

22
17
33
100

50
31
91

Food
consumption
pattern
135

Table III.
Foods taken and avoided
by respondents during
major diseases

BFJ
108,2

136

Table IV.
Foods prepared on
festivals by respondents
families

Festivals menu
Teej
Pucca foodsa:
Halwa b/Malpura c/kheer d/Halwa, poori e
Halwa, sweets/sweets, kheer/sweets alone
Kheer/Sevian f alone
Nil
Diwali
Pucca foods:
Halwa, malpura/Halwa, poori/Halwa kheer/Halwa,
rice
Sweets alone/sweets, halwa/sweets kheer
Nil
Holi
Pucca foods:
Halwa, malpura or Halwa alone
Sweets, Halwa or Kheer
Nil
Dusshera
Pucca foods:
Halwa or Malpura Halwa poori/Kheer
Sweets alone
Rice alone
Nil
Amavasya
Kheer
Nil
Basauda
Sweet rice/sweet chapati
Nil
Purnima
Kheer
Nil

No.

Percentage

132
17
8
15

76.75
9.88
4.65
8.72

140
30
2

81.40
17.44
1.16

118
39
15

68.60
22.68
8.72

111
44
9
8

64.54
25.58
5.23
4.65

106
66

61.63
38.37

115
57

66.86
33.14

97
75

56.40
43.60

Notes: a Fried food; b Semolina and milk fat and sugar; c Wheat flour and sugar and milk fat; d Milk
and rice; e Fried small wheat flour bread; f Vermicilli and milk fat and sugar

Food consumption pattern of respondents

Cereals. Cereals are part and parcel of the Indian diet and provide energy and several
other nutrients at a very low cost. Mean daily intake of cereals of the children was
lower than the recommended daily intake (RDI) (NIN, 1998). Boys were taking 152 g of
cereals per day, which was 72.46 per cent of the RDI, and girls were still taking less
amounts of cereal i.e. 145.92 g/day, which is 69.49 per cent of the RDI (see Table V. Both
boys and girls of this age group had less daily intake of cereals than the RDI. At the
same time, the intake of cereals was not significantly (p # 0:05) lower than the RDI
among children. Boys were taking slight higher amount of cereals than the girls but no
significant (p # 0:05) differences were observed between both sexes.
Pulses. The mean daily intake of pulses for the boys was only 43.66 per cent of the
RDI and it was higher in girls as their intake was 61.35 per cent of the RDI. While there
was no doubt that the girls were taking better amount of pulses in their diets than the

210
45
100
50
50
100
500
25
30

RDI (g)
152:17 ^ 34:6
19:65 ^ 13:4
42:86 ^ 37:0
34:50 ^ 42:4
0:97 ^ 4:2
12:14 ^ 18:2
397:38 ^ 128:7
19:37 ^ 10:3
23:10 ^ 7:2

Boys (n 94)
Mean ^ SD
72.46
43.66
42.86
69.00
1.94
12.14
79.48
77.48
76.99

1.6980NS
0.1843NS
1.8686NS
0.0086NS
9.6693 * *
3.7624 * *
1.0349NS
0.5976NS
1.1349NS

1.6725NS
1.8934NS
1.5461NS
0.3654NS
11.5469 * *
4.8251 * *
0.7973NS
0.5488NS
0.9543NS
145:92 ^ 37:7
27:61 ^ 94:4
39:20 ^ 32:5
49:49 ^ 58:9
0:98 ^ 5:1
13:06 ^ 23:1
378:84 ^ 117:1
19:34 ^ 9:5
22:75 ^ 6:4

Boys

Z value
Boys-girls
1.1660NS
0.7880NS
0.7119NS
1.9677 *
0.0136NS
0.2974NS
1.0177NS
0.0208NS
0.3404NS

Girls
69.49
61.35
39.20
98.99
1.96
13.06
75.77
77.36
75.84

Notes: a Showing comparison of intake and RDI; * Significant at 5 per cent level; * * Significant at 1 per cent level; NS Non-significant;
RDI Recommended dietary intake (NIN, 1998)

Cereals
Pulses
Roots and tubers
Other vegetables
Green leafy vegetables
Fruits
Milk and milk products
Fats and oils
Sugar and jaggery

Food stuffs

Daily mean food intake (g)

Four to five years % RDI
Girls (n 89)
Z valuesa
Mean ^ SD
Z valuesa

Food
consumption
pattern
137

Table V.
Mean daily food intake of
four to five-years-old
preschool children (boys
and girls)

BFJ
108,2

138

boys, the difference was not significant. At the same time, intake of pulses by girls was
also lower than the RDI but significant difference was not observed.
Roots and tubers. Boys were taking roots and tubers at a mean of 42.86 g/day
against its RDI intake of 100 g. Girls were consuming on average only 39.2 g of roots
and tubers daily but their intake did not differ significantly (p # 0:05).
Other vegetables. This group belongs to those vegetables which are not covered
under green leafy vegetables and roots and tubers. Intake of other vegetables by boys
and girls was less i.e. only 34.50 (69 per cent of RDI) and 49.49 g/day (98.9 per cent of
RDI), respectively. Daily consumption of other vegetables by girls was significantly
(p # 0:05) higher than that of the boys.
Green leafy vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are rich sources of calcium, iron,
b-carotene, vitamin C, riboflavin and folic acid but the quantity of green leafy
vegetables consumed by boys and girls was almost similar and negligible. The intake
of green leafy vegetables was 1.94-1.96 per cent of the RDI.
Fruits. The mean intake of fruits i.e. 12.14 and 13.06 g/day among boys and girls,
was almost similar and significantly (p # 0:05) less than the RDI. Their consumption
of fruits was only 12.14 per cent (boys) and 13.06 per cent (girls) of the RDI.
Milk and milk products. Daily mean intake of milk and milk products of boys and
girls i.e. 75.77-79.48 per cent of the RDI, did not differ significantly (p # 0:05).
Fats and oils. Both boys and girls were taking almost similar amounts of fat and oil
(19.34-19.37 g) in daily diets, but their intake was lower than the recommended intake.
Daily mean intake of fats and oils of boys and girls was 19.37 and 19.34 g/day,
respectively which was less than the RDI (77.36 to 77.48 per cent of the RDI) in both the
sexes.
Sugar and jaggery. Mean intake of sugar and jaggery of preschool children was
23.10 g/day in boys and 22.75 g/day in girls against the recommended daily intake of
25 g/day (NIN, 1998). Hence, both the boys and girls were taking similar but slightly
less amounts of this food group than recommended.
Discussion
Overall, wheat, the main cereal crop being produced in the northern part of India, was the
most accepted cereal among all the families as its consumption was reported daily by
100 per cent of the respondents. It is more acceptable due to its longer shelf life, easy
availability throughout the year and organoleptic acceptability. Pearl millet is also
cultivated in this state in the winter season and hence consumed in the winter season
only. Another reason for its consumption in winter season is that it is considered to be
very hot because of it having a higher fat and starch content. Moreover, its flour becomes
rancid within five to six days and more so in the summer season. Pulses were consumed
weekly (66 per cent) or alternately (22 per cent) by most of the families as women remain
busy in agricultural operations and they cannot afford to spend much time in cooking of
pulses. Moreover, pulses are too expensive. Green leafy vegetables and other vegetables
were consumed on the basis of availability. They only use those green leafy vegetables
grown in their fields and they do not purchase them from the market. Roots and tubers
were consumed frequently as they are inexpensive and plentiful. Potato is used by all the
families due to acceptance by all the family members and ease of availability. Most of the
families consumed fruits rarely as they do not want to purchase these from the market
because they are expensive. Most of the families rear milch animals (animals producing
milk) and they have a great liking for their milk and milk products. Families preferred to

take buffalos milk daily (93 per cent) over the cows milk (7.33 per cent) due to its higher
fat content. Other milk products, except buttermilk, were not consumed frequently
because women are busy in agricultural operations and they do not have time for food
processing and preparation activities. The other milk product i.e. desi ghee (animal fat) is
very popular among rural families. The families had simple dietary habits preferring to
take cereal, milk, butter milk, ghee and sugar. Their diets were deficient in protective
foods such as leafy vegetables. Wide variations in the intake of various food groups
among the respondents were due to differences in cropping patterns and the economic
status of respondents. Similar results were also reported earlier by Chaudhary (1997)
and Vashista (2002). Wheat, the main cereal group, and milk products were consumed
daily in the diet. The dietary surveys carried out by NNMB between 1994-96 also showed
that cereals and millets contribute to 60 per cent of the total diet and the intake of cereal
was about 75 per cent of the suggested dietary intake in Haryana state (Vijayaraghavan
and Rao, 1998). Agarwal et al. (1999) reported that the diets of rural populations mostly
contain cereals and millets and are devoid of green leafy vegetables.
In India, various myths are also associated with foods such as hot and cold food.
More than half of the respondents mothers (more than 50 per cent) believed some of the
foods (pearl millet, corn, some pulses, bathua and fenugreek leaves, onion, garlic,
ginger, desi ghee and sweets) to be hot foods, either because they are calorie dense, are
difficult to digest or have pungency. Light foods, considered to be easily digestible,
were given during febrile conditions or diarrhoea. In contrast to our study, Rachna
(2002) reported that 60 per cent of the subjects were taking food as per advice of the
doctor in cases of illness and 10 per cent were taking foods that were available in their
house, this is mainly due to lack of awareness.
Because of the non-availability of some of the foods, poverty, religious factors and
ignorance, the daily mean intake of almost all the food stuffs, namely, cereals, pulses,
roots and tubers, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, fats and oils, milk and
milk products and sugar and jaggery was lower than the RDI among preschool
children but comparatively the intake of green leafy vegetables and fruits was the
lowest. The findings of the present study corroborate with those of Vijayaraghavan
and Rao (1998) and Nana et al. (2003) who revealed that daily intake of cereals, roots
and tubers, green leafy vegetables and fats and oils was lower than the RDI. Golder
et al. (2001) reported lower intake of roots and tubers and other vegetables in diets of
preschool children. Similarly, Jood et al. (2000) reported lower intake of fruits, sugar
and jaggery and fats and oils by preschoolers. Intake of pulses, milk and milk products
and other vegetable was also reported lower than the RDI by Khosla et al. (2000),
Timokhin et al. (1998) and Gronowska-Senger et al. (1998), respectively.
The long-term consequences of such a poor diet are well recognized (Thakar and
Patil, 1990), hence, there is a need to impart nutrition education to families, especially to
mothers, so that they can provide a well-balanced diet incorporating locally available
inexpensive nutritious food stuffs from each food groups to children. Nutrition should
also be included in the course curriculum of school children so as to establish sound
food habits among children for leading a healthy life in future.
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Corresponding author
N. Khetarpaul can be contacted at: nkhissar@sancharnet.in or neelamkhetarpaul@gmail.com

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