Anganwadi centres in Ludhiana district fail to get diet charts for pregnant, lactating women

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 6

It has been nearly eight months that diet charts for pregnant and lactating women were formulated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and were to be shared with aanganwadi centres across the country, but the centres in the district have yet not received these charts.

The charts have been prepared according to the region, and area-wise six diet charts have been prepared by the ICMR, which include Central India, North East India, North India, East India, South India and West India.

“I got to know about the diet charts long ago, but we have yet not received these. It is a novel idea to prepare area-wise diet charts and help pregnant and lactating mothers in consuming necessary and balanced amount of nutrition with their help,” said Subhash Rani, secretary, Anganwadi Mulazim Union.

She added they were regularly giving wheat, rice, sugar, milk powder, desi ghee and “panjiri” to the kids. Anganwadi centres provide two meals to the kids — breakfast and lunch.

Fatima, who is expecting her first child, said it was a few months ago that she came to know about the charts. “I visited anganwadi centres near me, but they were not aware of any such diet chart,” she said.

Diet chart for North India

Early morning (6.30 am)

Milk 200 ml

Breakfast (8am)

Three paranthas / Three Ragi rotis (75 gram)

Or one and a half cup dalia + dal (75 gram+15 gram) or Half cup vegetable curry (100 gram) and 1 boiled egg /paneer (30gram)

Mid-morning (10:30 am)

Seasonal fruit (100 gm)

Lunch (1 pm)-2 cups rice (100 gm) or 4 roti (100 gm), dal 1/3 cup, green leafy vegetable curry (75 gm), 1/2 cup curd (100 ml), salad (50 gm), 1/2 cup chicken or meat (30 gm).

Evening snacks (4pm)

One seasonal fruit (100 gm): Banana, guava or orange and nuts (30 gm): peanuts, til etc.

Dinner (8 pm)

Two cups rice (100 gm) or 4 roti (100 gm), 1/2 cup chickpea dal (15 gm) with 1/3 cup green leafy vegetables (75 gm), vegetable curry (100 gm), 1/2 cup curd (100 gm).

Bed time (10 pm)

Milk (100 ml)

For overweight pregnant women

• Reduce: Sugar, refined cereal and oil.
• Moderate consumption of nuts and oil seeds.