Sweta Kumari, L.B. Singh, D.K. Singh, Satya Prakash, Shailendra Kumar Yadav and Sayak Saha
Abstract
Nutrition is the process by which food was obtained and utilizes for energy, growth, and body maintenance. Nutritional knowledge includes awareness of the relationship between diet, health, and disease, as well as dietary guidelines. Women in India often face a double burden of malnutrition, making them more vulnerable to stunting, wasting, underweight, and anaemia. Poor health among women reduced productivity, earning capacity, and their ability to care for families. This study was conducted in 2025 in Uttar Pradesh, one of the most affected states in terms of malnutrition. Two districts, Prayagraj and Saharanpur, were purposively selected. From each district, three blocks were chosen, followed by two villages per block, leading to twelve villages in total. A random sample of 15 respondents per village was drawn, making 180 respondents. Results revealed that lack of awareness about government nutrition programmes (mean = 3.66) and social, cultural food restrictions (mean=4.63) were the most critical barriers. The Friedman test confirmed significant differences in challenge severity (p < 0.01). The study highlighted the urgent need for nutrition education, effective service delivery, and improved market access to enhance the nutritional well-being of rural women.