Introduction: A healthy citizen contributes to the development of a country. Tribes are considered as the primitive groups who are back ward and have a shyness to contact with the community for their health services. So there is a need to look into their health status.

Aims: the study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and associated barriers among tribal women of Kasaragod district, Kerala. 

Settings and Design: the tribal settlements of Karadukka block panchayaths of Kasaragod district was selected randomly as the setting and the design adopted was a mixed method design (Explanatory design; follow up explanations model (QUAN→qual))

Methods and Material: a descriptive survey was undertaken among 445 tribal women in the reproductive age group from the selected tribal settlements and bio physiological measurements like weight in Kilogram, Height in Metre was collected using calibrated weighing machine, measuring tape and BMI was classified as underweight, normal and overweight. An unstructured interview was done for collecting data on associated barriers. Analysis was done using spss 16 and Strauss and Corbins grounded theory analysis approach.

Statistical analysis used: frequency and percentage distribution was done for identifying the prevalence of malnutrition and Strauss and Corbins grounded theory analysis approach for associated barriers.

Results: the study found that majority (54%) of participants had normal Body Mass Index, but 24% had severe thinness and 18% had mild thinness.

Conclusions: Among tribal women majority have malnutrition which is an indicator of the health status. In order to provide them with good health status Government and health professionals have to identify the causes and interfere in that through various promotive and therapeutic activities.