MSc

The study entitled tDietary profile of goitre
patients' compr,ises information on the socio economic, dietary
and health profile of goitre patients.
The study was conducted among 100 goi t r e pat ients,
all attending the thyroid clinic of Medical College Hospital,
Trivandrum for the first time.
The socio economic profile of the goitre patients
indicated that most of the respondents were in the age group of
16-30 and most of them were females.
The respondents surveyed were mainly Hindus (other
backward classes) with high school level of education.
Majority of the respondents were residing in nuclear
families with 4 family members and families of the respondents
were having only one employed person.
Most of the families had a monthly income that ranged
between Rs.I000 to 1500 and mainly with a percapita income of
Rs.300 to 400.
Based on PQLI, the respondents were grouped into 3
categories and 'most of the patients were in the category of
PQLI 13-16.
132

Data collected on dietary pattern and food
consumption pattern observed that most of them spent the major
part of their income on food ie. RS.IOOl to 1500/month.
Among the expenditure on various food items, most of
them spent RS.301 to 400 on cereals, Rs.201 to 300 on fish and
Rs.I00 to 200 on roots and tubers.
On assessing, the frequency of using different food
items, most of them used energy rich foods like cereals, roots



and tubers, sugar and jaggery daily in their diet.


Allong the



protein rich foods fish and milk (insufficient quantity) used
daily in their diet.
Frequency of using goitrogenic foods revealed that
tapioca was used dai ly among the most of the surveyed go i tre



patients.


The data on tapioca meal and consumption pattern



indicated that the most of the surveyed patients included
tapioca twice daily as a main item in the diet.
Most of them followed boiling method for cooking
I
tapi o c a in a covered vesse I and discarded t he cook i ng water
once.
On assessing the actual food intake, it was noticed
that cereal intake was more than the RDA. The mean nutrient
l~oQke
intake revealed that the nutrientsAwere lower than the RDA.
133

Clinical examination of goitre patients indicated
that most of them were mainly with diffused colloid goitre with
symptoms of palpitation, swelling and tremour.
Data gathered on the iodine content in drinking water
and urinary samples confirmed the presence of low iodine
content in water and urine.
An enquiry about the nutritional status index of
goitre patients revealed that most of the respondents were
observed to be in deficient nutritional status.