Patra Nirmal Kumar, Nina Nich, Pathak Tapan B, Karak Tanmoy, Babu Suresh Chandra
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS), Nagaland University, Medziphema 797106, Nagaland, India.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA.
Nutrients. 2025 Jul 30;17(15):2499. doi: 10.3390/nu17152499.
: Addressing undernutrition and malnutrition requires a multi-pronged approach targeting different populations with appropriate interventions. Knowledge and perception (K&P) of Individuals and communities about nutrition to human health relationship/continuum is a prerequisite for addressing malnutrition in rural and mountain communities. Assessing K&P is essential for developing strategic interventions to up-scaling K&P of communities and achieving nutrition security. Homestead gardens are a proven intervention for achieving nutrition security for all family members of gardeners. : This paper includes homestead gardeners from the Himalayan Mountain Region (HMR) as respondents. We developed a scale to assess the K&P of respondents, based on ratings from 20 judges. A total of 134 issues/items have been retained in the scale from macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins. A framework has also been developed and adopted for the study. A knowledge and perception index (KPI) has been developed based on the respondents' responses. We have reviewed and analysed the national policy interventions for augmenting the K&P of the study community to achieve nutrition security. : The nutrition K&P of respondents are inadequate and far from the desirable level. Policy review and analysis indicate that the creation of K&P in the community to contribute to self and family nutrition security was previously highly neglected. : The policy process of national, state, and county/district-level development sectors in developing countries under the HMR may take the initiative to ensure self-nutrition security by creating K&P of the community on nutrition issues. The designed scale is prudent requires testing and validation for measuring farmers' K&P on nutrition, which may be adopted in future studies and policymaking not only nationally but also from an international perspective.
解决营养不良问题需要采取多管齐下的方法，针对不同人群采取适当的干预措施。个人和社区对营养与人类健康关系/连续体的知识和认知是解决农村和山区社区营养不良问题的先决条件。评估知识和认知对于制定战略干预措施以扩大社区的知识和认知并实现营养安全至关重要。家庭菜园是为菜园种植者的所有家庭成员实现营养安全的一种行之有效的干预措施。 ：本文将喜马拉雅山区（HMR）的家庭菜园种植者作为受访者。我们根据20位评判员的评分制定了一个量表来评估受访者的知识和认知。该量表总共保留了来自常量营养素、微量营养素、矿物质和维生素的134个问题/条目。还为该研究制定并采用了一个框架。根据受访者的回答制定了一个知识和认知指数（KPI）。我们审查并分析了国家政策干预措施，以增强研究社区的知识和认知，从而实现营养安全。 ：受访者的营养知识和认知不足，远未达到理想水平。政策审查和分析表明，以前高度忽视了在社区中创造有助于自身和家庭营养安全的知识和认知。 ：HMR地区发展中国家的国家、州和县/区级发展部门的政策制定过程可能需要主动通过在社区中创造关于营养问题的知识和认知来确保自身营养安全。所设计的量表很审慎，需要进行测试和验证，以衡量农民对营养的知识和认知，这可能不仅在国家层面，而且从国际角度在未来的研究和政策制定中得到采用。
