AbstractBackground: Nutrition is one of the most important determinants of educational outcomes. Objective: To find relation between nutritional status and academic achievement of school adolescents availing Mid-Day Meal Schemein Chandigarh, India. Material and Methods: A school-based survey consisting 1274 participants from randomly selected 12 government schools of Chandigarh was conducted. Seven schools, three schools and two schools from urban, rural and slums were selected respectively. Thereafter, the school adolescents of 6th, 7th and 8th standard from each school were selected. WHO Anthroplus software was used to find out nutritional status of adolescents. Results: Prevalence of stunting and severe stunting among adolescents was found 313 (25.47%) and 91 (7.40%) respectively. Prevalence of thinness and severe thinness were 279 (22.70%) and 89 (7.24%), respectively. Highest prevalence of stunting was found in lower socio-economic group adolescents i.e. 161 (28.14%) and it decreased with better socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Malnutrition affects educational performance as revealed by poor academic scores, who consumed no Mid-Day Meal or less Mid-Day Meal. Malnutrition is mostly affecting the school adolescents of lower socio-economic group; there is a need to strengthen the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Chandigarh particular and country in general
Keywords: Malnutrition; BMI; Stunting; Mid-Day Meal; Chandigarh; Academic Achievement.