Basics of Nutrition Epidemiology and Anthropology

Epidemiology in Nutrition                                                                                                                        

• Definition and scope of epidemiology , Health and Nutritional epidemiology
• Determinants of MCH & indicators commonly used to track maternal/ child health &
• nutrition
• Definitions of commonly used epidemiological indicators like Crude death rate, IMR, U5
• MR, Birth rate, Fertility rate, , Maternal mortality rate/ratio etc..
• Disease frequency, causes and prevention - population at risk, Incidence and its
• comparison.
• Epidemiological Methods and Types
  
  • Observational, Experimental, and Potential errors.
  • Case fatality, Mortality.

Epidemiology of Major public Health and Nutrition Problems in India       

• Status of maternal & child nutrition/health as per latest surveys
• Prevalence and utilization rates of key indicators/interventions for women, children,
• adolescence: globally and in India;
• Studying the progress of key indicators of vulnerable age groups based on disaggregated
• data rural vs urban, male vs female, SC, ST, OBC and Wealth quintiles. (NNMB, SRS,
• DLHS,CES, MICS,NFHS I, II and III data) and calculating per annum progress/deterioration.
• Vital statistics and Causes of IMR, NMR, MMR, Under 5 Mortality rates & its relationship with nutrition.
• Emergence of evidence based interventions for improving Maternal and Child Health and
• Nutrition from global and National epidemiological data base.

 Epidemiology of Major Micronutrient deficiencies                                        

• Status of micronutrient deficiencies in mothers and children as per latest surveys
• Prevalence and utilization rates of key indicators/interventions to improve micronutrient
• deficiencies for women, children, adolescence: globally and in India;
• Studying the progress of key indicators of vulnerable age groups based on disaggregated
• data rural vs urban, male vs female, SC, ST, OBC and Wealth quintiles. (NNMB, SRS,DLHS,CES, MICS,NFHS I, II and III data) and calculating per annum progress/deterioration. Vital statistics and Causes of IMR, NMR, MMR, Under 5 Mortality rates & its relationship with nutrition.Emergence of evidence based interventions for improving Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition from global and National epidemiological data base.

Introduction of Anthropology and Its Relevance to Nutrition                         

• Definition and Application of the Discipline of Anthropology as applied to:
  
  • Health and Disease
  • Nutrition and Nutritional status
• Historical development of Nutritional Anthropology: Evolution from a biomedical to a socio
• cultural view of nutrition.
• Emic vs Etic Perspective.
• Factors Affecting Food choices and household level practices
  
  • Ecological and Geographical
  • Poverty, economic status
  • Socio cultural; education, ethnic and religious factors.
  • Sensory Qualities of Foods and culture
  • Girl child and women
  • Intra Household Distribution of Food

Cultural Interpretation of Malnutrition and Rural Urban differences           

• ·         Community beliefs about cause prevention and treatment of under nutrition and micro
• ·         nutrient deficiencies (PEM,IDA, VAD, IDD ) in children and women in developed and
• ·         developing countries.
• ·         Ethno-physiology: cultural perceptions of body physiology in different stages of the life
• ·         cycle (child, adolescent, adult) and its impact on home level nutrition and health care.
• ·         Comparing rural vs urban differences as regards :
• • Time and activity patterns; workload of men and women and its impact on food intakeand nutritional status (especially vulnerable groups)
• Health care seeking behaviors – treatment of illness.
• Complementary feeding and breast feeding practices; family support.
• Seasonal variations in malnutrition and morbidity.