Samenvatting

A new awareness program is needed to learn the women of Prime Trust's Self-Help Groups more about healthy nutrition for children. The following main question is formulated: What is an effective nutrition awareness program for mothers in Self- Help Groups in Puducherry to prevent undernutrition in young children (aged 0-3)? Literature search is done to learn more about undernutrition in children. Worldwide, 52.5% of all deaths in young children are, directly or indirectly, attributable to undernutrition. The hunger situation in India is considered 'alarming'. 43.5% of the Indian children aged <5 is underweight and 47.9% is stunted. Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread and can even be present when energy needs are met. 46.4 % of the infants is exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, which is a high percentage compared to other countries.
The most important subjects that should be discussed in the education program are: recommended daily amounts (especially fruits, milk and beans and meat), timing of starting with complementary feeding, adequate products for complementary feeding and misconceptions about breastfeeding. The education will be aimed at mothers of children up to and including three years of age so that all stages of nutrition for the young child (breastfeeding, complementary feeding and family foods) are covered. The 45-minute program is very interactive and contains spoken information, a demonstration to learn how to make fruit more attractive for children, a puzzle to figure out which food belongs to what age and all the women receive a handout with the recommended daily amounts for children aged 1-3. The set goals for this program are: the children eat fruit in between meals instead of biscuits, the mothers start with complementary food after the first six months of life, newborns receive colostrum, the mothers have knowledge about the daily recommended amounts for young children and the mothers know how to give a hygienic bottle feed. An effect evaluation is needed to see if the set goals are achieved.