Eggs with midday meal: Study on kids’ health

The study will include tracking height, weight, and nutritional status of students, among other factors.
Photo | EPS
Photo | EPS

BENGALURU: Are food patterns at home changing, with eggs and bananas being included in midday meals? Are students attending school more regularly? A detailed analysis is being done on these and other parameters that will check the outcome of including eggs in midday meal programmes. 

UNICEF, Tata Trust, nutrition experts are all on board with the education department and Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag, which is holding a study on the exit outcomes or gains by introducing eggs in midday meals. 

A 10-day baseline study was started on Monday. Yadgir, an intervention district, is being checked against Gadag, a non-intervention district, in a five-and-half month ‘impact assessment’ study that will look into three aspects -- nutritional attainment, behavioural changes and administrative aspects. 

Exit outcomes -- be it gains in terms of attendance, haemoglobin levels or change in nutritional habits -- will be studied among 9,000 students from 30 schools in Yadgir, and another 30 schools in a district where eggs are not served with midday meals. 

Midway through the disbursal of 46 eggs to students at the rate of two eggs a week for 165 days, a midline study expected in January will be held, where course corrections in administration, would be made for effective implementation, said sources. The study will include tracking height, weight, and nutritional status of students, among other factors.

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