Dual burden of malnutrition and nutrient intakes among private and government school adolescents: is there any disparity?

Adolescence is a second window of opportunity to improve nutritional status. We aimed to compare the nutritional status and dietary patterns of private and government school adolescents (n = 774) in urban Bengaluru, India. Private school adolescents showed higher nutrient intakes than their government counterparts. Micronutrient intakes were sub-optimal with high consumption of energy-dense snacks. Government schools had a greater prevalence of thinness (16.1% v 9.6%) and stunting (25.4% v 12%) than private ones. However, nearly 20% of adolescents were overweight/obese in both schools. The rising dual burden of malnutrition among adolescents necessitates school-based interventions including nutrition education and micronutrient-rich meals.