Journal of Current Research in Food Science

Background: Inadequate nutrient intake and poor diet quality among rural school aged children are key contributors to undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.

Objective: To assess the nutrient adequacy, food group consumption and to evaluate the overall diet quality using a standardised scoring index among school children aged 7-9 years.

Methods: Three non-consecutive-days, 24-hour dietary recall method was used to collect food intake data from 200 children (100 boys and 100 girls). Actual intakes were compared with ICMR 2020 recommendations. Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR), Average Average Overall Ratio (AOR) and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) were calculated for food groups only.

Results: Mean NAR was 0.66 for boys and 0.59 for girls. Deficient intakes were observed in milk, green leafy vegetables (GLVs), and fruits. Only meat/fish/eggs met recommended levels. The Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) was 0.72 for boys and 0.67 for girls, indicating moderate dietary adequacy. These value suggest that boys met 72% and girls 67% of their recommended intake across major food groups, with deficits noted especially in fruits, milk, and green leafy vegetables.

Conclusion: The dietary intake of children aged 7-9 years is inadequate, particularly in micronutrient-dense food groups, which may contribute to long-term nutritional deficits. Immediate intervention through school meals and nutrition education to the parents/ guardians is recommended.