Background: Quality of life of girls continues to be poor, more so in urban slums which can be solved by imparting nutrition education. Objectives: To assess the nutritional status of school going girls (10 11years), to provide nutrition education to the participants and to assess the efficacy of nutrition education on their nutritional status.Method: This
interventional study was conducted in 100 girls in which anthropometric measurements and 24 hour dietary recall were taken. A self-designed questionnaire was administered which included general information and dietary habits. It also tested the nutritional knowledge of the participants and was scored. Multiple nutrition education sessions were imparted in each school through group discussion. Post- intervention nutritional knowledge was again tested along with anthropometric measurements & 24 hour dietary recall. Knowledge Increment percent was calculated.
Statistical analysis was performed using SPPSS software for Windows version 20. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Dietary habits like skipping meals, eating junk food were recorded. Average weight was 29.4±6.06 kg which significantly increased to 29.8± 6.03 kg (p=0.00) and BMI had increased from 15.6± 2.33 kg/m2 to 15.8± 2.27kg/m2 (p=0.00). The pre-intervention nutritional knowledge score had significantly increased to 22.1± 3.22 (p=0.00) with 78.4% knowledge increment. Calorie consumption had significantly increased from 1461±238kcal/ day to 1536±210kcal/day post intervention (p=0.00). A significant difference was also seen in the carbohydrate, protein, fats, iron and calcium (p=0.00). Conclusion: Nutrition education impacted positively on weight, BMI, level of nutritional knowledge and nutrient intake amongst the school going girls.

Keywords: Nutrition education; Anthropometric measurements; Knowledge increment; Dietary habits; Height; Weight; Energy; Junk food; School going girls; Iron; Calcium; Protein; Fats.