Food fortification has been emerged as an effective and economically viable strategy to address the micronutrient<br />deficiency for people living in impoverish socio-economic condition. In India, problem of micronutrient deficiency<br />among poor children can be addressed by this strategy. This study was an endeavor to test the effectiveness and<br />viability of this strategy on selected children living in urban and semi-urban areas of the State of Jharkhand. This<br />study was carried out on 60 purposively selected malnourished children of both sexes falling under the age range<br />of 3 – 6 years. The Medical Council of India (MCI) defined parameters of malnourishment were applied while<br />assessing the level of malnourishment among the selected children. The Body Index (Parameters) and a specially<br />designed socio-demographic data sheet were applied for collecting the data. The selected 60 children were equally<br />divided into two groups, and in these two groups two different kinds of diversified food items were given, viz., First<br />group was provided the diversified food (Laddus) contained of soybean flour + maize flour + jaggary + clarified<br />butter and second group was given laddus made up of Bengal gram flour + maize flour + jaggary + clarified butter.<br />At the baseline physical assessment was done of the selected children and subsequently at 6-month and at the end<br />of the study the body indices of the children were measured. No significant difference was noted between the two<br />groups of Children in any body mass index at baseline, after 6 months and end of the study period. Both the<br />diversified foods were found to be equally efficacious for the selected children ’s optimal growth and development.

Keyword: Soy; Micronutrients; Diversified foods; Malnutrition