DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i11.057

Pages: 4151-4156

Diet consumption pattern and the parent’s knowledge on nutritional value of the variety of foods are some of the important factors which influences on the child growth and their health. In this aspect, the present study was conducted at some rural areas of the Batticaloa district, Sri Lanka to find the diet consumption pattern of the children under age five (05) and the parent’s awareness on the nutritional value of their children’s meals as an initial step to promote the nutritional status of the children. Questionnaire survey, personal interview and direct observation were carried out to collect the information. The findings revealed that the diet consumption pattern were varied among the different aged group however, rice was the major food consumed by the children in the study area. As far as the awareness of the parents on nutritional value of the meals is concerned, they are with a lack of knowledge on it. Therefore, awareness has to be created among the parents at the study villages regarding the importance of adding variety of food on their child’s meals to get better growth of their children.