Intervention with traditional food as a major source of energy, protein, iron, vitamin C and vitamin A for rural Dalit mothers and young children in Andhra Pradesh, South India.

Intakes of energy, protein, iron and vitamin A in India are usually reported as inadequate. Recognizing that traditional food systems are sustainable, high in species variety, and have rich nutrient sources, we compared dietary intakes and nutrient sources of Dalit mothers and their children living in villages with and without an intervention based on improved access to the traditional Dalit food system. 24-hour recalls were conducted with Dalit mothers and their children aged 6-39 months during summer and rainy seasons in 2003. We found that mothers from intervention villages had significantly higher intakes of energy (mean +/- SD: 12,197 +/- 3,515 kJ vs. 11,172 +/- 3,352 kJ; p =0.02) and protein (77.5 +/- 25.1 g vs. 71.1 +/- 25.2 g; p =0.05) in summer, and higher intakes of energy (11,168 +/- 3,335 kJ vs. 10,168 +/- 3,730 kJ; p = 0.04), protein (68.9 +/- 22.6 g vs. 60.4 +/- 23.8 g; p <0.01) and iron (15.8 +/- 6.6 mg vs. 13.7 +/- 9.1 mg; p <0.01) during rainy season. There were no differences in children's intakes between intervention and control villages. In mothers, sorghum contributed 29% of energy, 33% of protein and 53% of iron, and green leafy vegetables contributed 21% of vitamin C and 38% of vitamin A. Our results indicate that traditional food such as sorghum, pulses and green leafy vegetables are major sources of energy, protein, iron, vitamin C and vitamin A, and that mothers from villages with the traditional food intervention had higher intakes of energy, protein and iron.