Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: In Ayurveda, Ahara (diet) and Dinacharya (daily regimen) are considered fundamental pillars of health, with disturbance in these behaviours believed to precipitate Amlapitta, an Annavaha Srotas disorder broadly comparable to paediatric functional dyspepsia. Urbanisation, changing food environments and screen-dominated lifestyles may increase the risk of Amlapitta among school children, yet empirical, school-based data integrating Ayurvedic and contemporary lifestyle perspectives remain limited.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and symptom profile of Amlapitta among urban school children, to describe their Ahara and Dinacharya practices, and to examine the association between a composite Ahara-Dinacharya adherence score and the presence and severity of Amlapitta.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 360 children (8-14 years) from two urban co-educational schools in a metropolitan city. A pre-tested, interviewer-administered proforma captured socio-demographic data, dietary pattern, daily routine, physical activity, sleep and Amlapitta symptoms. Paediatric Amlapitta was operationally defined by mapping classical features to functional dyspepsia-like symptomatology in the absence of alarm signs. A composite Ahara-Dinacharya adherence score (range 0-20) was constructed from recommended dietary and daily-regimen behaviours and categorised into tertiles (low, moderate, high). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA and multivariable logistic regression were used for analysis.

Results: The prevalence of Amlapitta was 28.3% (n = 102). Children with Amlapitta had higher BMI-for-age z-scores, greater fast-food and carbonated-drink consumption, more irregular meal timing, lower fruit-vegetable intake, shorter sleep duration and reduced moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared with non-Amlapitta peers. Mean Ahara-Dinacharya adherence scores were significantly lower in the Amlapitta group (11.2±2.8) than in the non-Amlapitta group (14.8±2.7). Amlapitta prevalence showed a strong gradient across adherence tertiles (45.7% vs 26.4% vs 9.0% in low, moderate and high tertiles, respectively). In adjusted models, frequent fast-food intake, irregular meals, short sleep and low physical activity independently increased the odds of Amlapitta, whereas high Ahara-Dinacharya adherence was strongly protective.

Conclusion: Paediatric Amlapitta is common among urban school children and is closely associated with an unfavourable cluster of modifiable dietary and daily-routine behaviours. Higher adherence to wholesome Ahara and well-regulated Dinacharya is linked to substantially lower prevalence and milder severity of Amlapitta, underscoring the potential of school- and family-based lifestyle interventions grounded in Ayurvedic and contemporary health principles for non-pharmacological prevention of this condition.