MAHENDERGARH, 01.02.25-Dr. Anita Kumari, Assistant Professor, from Department of Nutrition Biology, Central University of Haryana (CUH), Mahendergarh awarded best oral presentation for her research findings entitled “Prevalence, risk factors and dietary practices associated to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels among adolescent girls of Haryana: A cross-sectional community based clinical study”. Prof. Tankeshwar Kumar, Vice-Chancellor congratulated and motivated the project investigators Dr. Anita Kumari; Prof. Neelam Sangwan; Prof. Surender Singh and Ms. Deepika (Project Associate) to continue the research work on the crucial scientific public health issue with the same intensity.

This marvellous exchange of scientific enlightenment took place in the International Conference on “Recent advances in food science & technology: a way forward” at University of Horticulture Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India held from 22-24th January, 2025. The presented work was a part of research project on hypovitaminosis D funded by Haryana-DST. Prof. Suneel Kumar (Registrar), Prof. Dinesh Kumar Gupta (Dean SIAS), Prof. Pawan Kumar Sharma, Dean Research, and Director R&D Cell and Prof. Kanti Prakash Sharma, Head, Department of Nutrition Biology congratulated and appreciated the efforts of the authors for performing an interdisciplinary, applied and society-based research on this silent pandemic engulfing health and economy of every nation. The authors revealed that blood samples of (N=1009) adolescent girls of Mahendergarh, Bhiwani, and Kurukshetra districts of Haryana have been estimated for hypovitaminosis D condition and reported 88 percent of the population deficient in vitamin D levels. The upcoming research will help in devising strategies to combat VDD. Curbing the deficiency at an initial stage in adolescent girls and imparting them proper knowledge will help to sustain the health and economy of our nation.