Effectiveness of nutritional education programs in mitigating anemia among reproductive-aged women in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

BACKGROUND: Anemia constitutes a significant health issue in India. Inadequate nutritional knowledge and education are the major contributing factors to anemia. The objective of the study is to assess the effects of a comprehensive nutritional education intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental study was conducted on 400 reproductive-aged women in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu. The intervention included group education sessions, distribution of iron-folic acid (IFA) supplements, cooking demonstrations, and home visits. The participants received nutrition education and counseling for 6 months. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired tests. RESULTS: Sociodemographically, the majority were aged 36-45 years, married (86%), and lived in nuclear families (96.3%). Knowledge scores significantly improved across all domains postintervention, including general awareness (5.4 ± 1.44 to 8.3 ± 0.54), symptom recognition (6.5 ± 1.86 to 8.5 ± 0.60), and dietary practices (6.5 ± 1.43 to 9.1 ± 0.56; P < 0.001). Biomarker analysis revealed significant increases in hemoglobin (10.16 ± 1.30 to 12.74 ± 1.41, P = 0.004), RBC count (4.04 ± 4.52 to 5.50 ± 5.40, P < 0.001), ferritin (27.10 ± 18.64 to 61.29 ± 41.84, P = 0.049), and folate (7.5 ± 11.42 to 14.08 ± 7.39, P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing knowledge and improving hematological and nutritional parameters, providing a promising strategy for combating anemia in at-risk populations.