Sep 14, 2025
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Poster Session
P625
ANTHROPOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN RURAL VS URBAN SLUMS OF LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
R. Singh1,*
1Community Nutrition, Nutrition Punch, Lucknow, India
Rationale: Adolescence is a crucial phase of growth and development, and nutritional status during this period significantly influences future health outcomes. In low-resource settings like urban and rural slums, adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition due to socioeconomic disadvantages, poor dietary intake, and limited healthcare access. This study aimed to assess and compare the anthropometric status of adolescent girls residing in rural and urban slums of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to identify nutritional disparities and inform targeted interventions.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 685 adolescent girls aged 10–19 years, with 345 participants from rural slums and 340 from urban slums of Lucknow. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and BMI, were collected using standardized WHO protocols. Nutritional status was classified based on WHO growth reference standards. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square tests and t-tests were applied to compare proportions and mean differences between the two groups.
Results: The prevalence of undernutrition (BMI-for-age < -2 SD) was significantly higher among rural girls (38.6%) compared to their urban counterparts (27.1%). Conversely, overweight and obesity were more common in urban slum girls (12.6%) than in rural areas (5.2%). Mean BMI was significantly lower in rural slum girls (18.1 ± 2.5) than in urban slum girls (19.3 ± 2.7) (p < 0.05).
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Conclusion: The study reveals a dual burden of malnutrition among adolescent girls in slums, with rural areas showing higher undernutrition and urban slums facing increasing overweight trends. Context-specific, gender-sensitive nutritional interventions are urgently required to address these disparities and improve adolescent health outcomes.
Disclosure of Interest: R. Singh Other: No Conflict 0f Interest