Letter to the Editor - Efforts to improve nutritional status in rural areas of Gujarat, India

The Family Welfare and Education Services Project, initiated in 1992 and operational till 1998, aimed to improve the nutritional status among 73,000 people living in 30 villages of Anand and Kheda districts of Gujarat State. The project was undertaken by Charutar Arogya Mandal Trust, in co-operation with Tribhuvandas Foundation, and milk co-operatives. Prevailing poor quality of life and nutritional status, including high maternal anaemia & under-nourishment in children ¹ prompted these interventions. The project had promoted ameliorative measures as nutritional education for improvement of quality and quantity of food items; sprouted cereals use; domestic nutritional rehabilitation of children suffering from PEM using local food items; Vit. A and Iron supplementation; early weaning; supplementary feeding of children & women; prevention of diarrhoea, etc.