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Priya
Sunidhi Mishra
Keywords:
Millet awareness; nutritional status; Scheduled Caste community; cluster-randomised trial; rural Punjab; nutrition education; micronutrient deficiency; anaemia; knowledge assessment; food-based intervention.
Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Millets are nutritionally superior traditional cereals with documented potential to address micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in marginalised Indian communities. This study aimed to: (1) assess millet awareness among the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in Bathinda district, Punjab, before and after a structured educational intervention, and (2) evaluate baseline nutritional status of the study population. Materials and Methods: A cluster-randomised controlled trial enrolled 480 adults (≥18 years) from 24 villages across three sub-districts, with 240 participants each in intervention and control arms. Millet awareness was measured using a validated 25-item Knowledge Assessment Schedule (KAS). Nutritional status was assessed through body mass index (BMI), haemoglobin, and 24-hour dietary recall benchmarked against ICMR-NIN (2020) Recommended Dietary Allowances. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests, independent t-tests, chi-square, and Difference-in-Differences (DiD) estimation. Results: At baseline, >62% of both groups had poor millet awareness (KAS <50%); none achieved good awareness (KAS ≥75%). Post-intervention, mean KAS increased from 10.87±2.92 to 19.50±2.35 in the intervention group (paired t = −65.977, p<0.001; Cohen's d = 4.259), versus 10.33±2.92 to 12.40±3.05 in controls. The net DiD effect was +6.56 points (t = 44.194, p<0.001). Post-intervention, 78.3% of intervention participants achieved good awareness versus 12.1% in controls. Nutritional assessment revealed underweight prevalence of 30.4–33.3%, anaemia in 45–50%, iron deficiency in 93.8–95.8%, and near-universal calcium inadequacy. Conclusions: A culturally tailored eight-week millet nutrition education programme produced large, significant improvements in millet knowledge. Co-existing dual burden of malnutrition substantiates the integration of iron- and calcium-rich millets into community food-based interventions.
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International Journal of Recent Research and Review
ISSN: 2277-8322
Vol. XIX, Issue 1
March 2026
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PUBLISHED
March 2026
ISSUE
Vol. XIX, Issue 1
SECTION
Articles
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