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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, MODERN MANAGEMENT, APPLIED SCIENCE & SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJEMMASSS) [ Vol. 8 | No. 2 (I) | April - June, 2026 ]

Nutritional Habits among Women in Western Rajasthan: Gender, Culture, and the Ecology of Deprivation

Nikita Kumari Saharan & Dr. Arun Kumar

The nutritional well-being of women in western Rajasthan is in a precarious state – not merely due to the lack of sufficient food supply but more so because of the entrenched social structures that decide who, in the household, consumes what, how much, and when. This study examines the social structures through an intersectional approach by utilizing information obtained from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21) dataset, health reports from Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur districts, and qualitative information acquired from various locations in rural and peri-urban areas. It calls out the existence of a phenomenon called the nutrition-gender-poverty trap, wherein anaemia, chronic energy deficiency, and poor nutrient status occur as a consequence of social inequality in accessing resources rather than merely as a result of shortage. Although programs like the POSHAN Abhiyaan Scheme and ICDS Scheme have been available, their execution is inadequate because of cultural appropriateness, geographic coverage, and implementation through suggesting policies that would help in overcoming the sociocultural barriers and not just focus on technological advancement.

Saharan, N. & Kumar, A. (2026). Nutritional Habits among Women in Western Rajasthan: Gender, Culture, and the Ecology of Deprivation. International Journal of Education, Modern Management, Applied Science & Social Science, 08(02(I)), 145–150. https://doi.org/10.62823/IJEMMASSS/8.2(I).9018
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https://ttuec-ojs-ttu.tdl.org/ttuec/article/view/47

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DOI:

Article DOI: 10.62823/IJEMMASSS/8.2(I).9018

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.62823/IJEMMASSS/8.2(I).9018

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