BSEB Inter Home Science key terms

A daily eating pattern that supplies energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre in the proportions the body needs, drawn from several food groups rather than relying on one type of food.

A classification that sorts foods by the main nutrients they supply, commonly cereals and millets, pulses and legumes, milk and meat, vegetables and fruits, and fats and sugars, used to plan varied meals.

Foods rich in vitamins, minerals and good-quality protein, such as milk, eggs, fruits and green leafy vegetables, which help prevent deficiency diseases and support growth and immunity.

The average daily intake of a nutrient judged sufficient for most healthy people of a given age, sex and activity level, used to plan diets and to check whether a diet meets needs.

The amount of useful nutrients a food provides relative to the energy it supplies; a food high in vitamins and minerals but low in calories is described as nutrient dense.

A food that contributes energy from sugar, refined starch or fat but supplies very little protein, vitamin or mineral value, such as sugary drinks and most fried snacks.

An illness caused by a shortage of one or more nutrients over time, for example anaemia from lack of iron, goitre from lack of iodine, or night blindness from lack of vitamin A.

Adding a nutrient to a common food during processing so that people who eat it regularly get more of that nutrient, such as iodised salt or iron-fortified flour.

The deliberate addition of a cheaper or harmful substance to a food, or removal of a valuable component, to increase profit, such as mixing starch into milk powder or colouring old grains.

The printed information on a food package, including ingredients, net weight, date of manufacture and expiry, nutritional content and licence details, which helps a buyer judge safety and quality.

The set of practices that keep the environment free of disease-causing germs, including safe disposal of human waste, waste water and household refuse, and protection of drinking water sources.

Water that is free from harmful germs and excess chemicals, made safe at home by boiling, filtering, chlorination or solar disinfection and stored in a covered clean container.

An infection spread through drinking or using water contaminated with germs or waste, examples being cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A, prevented mainly by safe water and proper sanitation.

An illness carried from one host to another by an insect or other organism, such as malaria spread by mosquitoes or dengue, controlled by removing breeding sites and using nets and repellents.

Daily habits that keep the body clean and healthy, including bathing, handwashing with soap, oral care, clean clothing and care of hair and nails, which reduce the spread of infection.

Cleaning hands with soap and running water for about twenty seconds, especially before cooking, eating and feeding a child and after using the toilet, to remove germs that cause diarrhoea and other infections.

Protecting a person from a disease by giving a vaccine so the body builds its own defence, following the recommended schedule of doses from infancy onward.

Regularly measuring a child's weight, height and head size and plotting them on a growth chart to detect slow growth or malnutrition early and to guide feeding advice.

The gradual introduction of semi-solid and solid foods alongside breast milk from about six months, starting soft mashed foods and increasing variety and texture as the child grows.

The thick yellowish first milk produced for a few days after birth, rich in antibodies and protein, which protects the newborn from infection and should not be discarded.

The sequence of growth of the baby inside the womb from conception to birth, divided into germinal, embryonic and foetal stages, influenced strongly by the mother's nutrition and health.

A skill or behaviour most children achieve within a known age range, such as sitting without support by about eight months, used to check whether development is on track.

A teaching approach for young children in which learning happens through games, songs, stories, blocks and role play rather than formal desk work, matching the natural way children explore.

A village-level centre run under the Integrated Child Development Services that offers supplementary nutrition, pre-school learning, health checks and health education to mothers and young children.

The active involvement of local people in identifying their own problems, planning and carrying out solutions, and sharing costs, so that development work is accepted and sustained.

The process of taking useful knowledge from research and institutions to families and communities through meetings, demonstrations and visits, so that people change practices by their own choice.

A teaching technique in which a worker shows a practice step by step, such as preparing a low-cost nutritious snack, so learners see the result and can copy it themselves.

Any teaching material that uses sight or sound, such as charts, flashcards, puppets, radio spots or short videos, to make an extension message clear and memorable for low-literacy groups.

The stages a family passes through, from the newly married couple to child-bearing, child-rearing, launching children and later years, each with different needs, demands and resources.

A written plan that lists expected income and sets spending limits for food, rent, education, health and savings over a period, helping a family live within its means and reach goals.

Deciding how to use limited resources such as time, money, energy and skills to reach family goals, by planning, organising, doing and then checking what worked.

Reorganising a task to remove wasted steps, motion and effort, for example by keeping frequently used utensils near the cooking area, so the same work takes less time and energy.

Designing tools, furniture and work areas to fit the human body, such as setting a work surface at the right height, to reduce fatigue, strain and injury.

The protections a buyer can claim, including safety, correct information, choice, being heard and redress for a faulty product or poor service, supported in India by consumer courts.

Unfair treatment of buyers through false claims, adulterated goods, short weight, hidden charges or misleading advertisements, which consumer awareness and complaint machinery aim to stop.

Arranging a kitchen by work centres for storage, preparation, cooking and washing, placed in a logical sequence, with good light, ventilation and safe surfaces to save steps and prevent accidents.

The movement of fresh air into and stale air, smoke and moisture out of a room through windows, vents, exhaust fans or cross draughts, keeping indoor air healthy and comfortable.

A planned choice of colours for a room that sets its mood and ties furnishings together, often built from a dominant colour with supporting and accent shades that harmonise.

Placing furniture so that movement is easy, conversation and work are comfortable, and the room looks balanced, taking account of traffic paths, focal points and the size of the space.

A fibre obtained from plants or animals, such as cotton, jute, silk or wool, valued for comfort and absorbency but generally requiring careful washing and ironing.

A fibre made by chemical processing from substances such as petroleum, for example polyester or nylon, known for strength, quick drying and wrinkle resistance but lower absorbency.

A cloth woven or knitted from two or more fibre types, such as polyester and cotton, so that the good qualities of each, like strength and comfort, are combined.

Giving colour to fibre, yarn or cloth by soaking it in a dye solution so the colour penetrates the material, done at different stages and with different fastness to washing and light.

A hand method of decorating cloth by pressing carved wooden blocks coated with dye or paste onto the fabric in a repeating design, common in many Indian textile traditions.

A drawing that shows a garment or style on a stretched figure to communicate design idea, fabric, colour and detail before it is cut and stitched.

Making a paper shape for each part of a garment from body measurements, adding seam allowance, so that the fabric can be cut accurately and the finished garment fits.

Recording the key body dimensions such as bust, waist, hip, shoulder and length with a flexible tape, keeping the tape level and not too tight, as the base for a well-fitting garment.

A practical assignment in which a student plans, carries out and reports a small real task, such as a nutrition survey or a stitched article, showing skills and reasoning rather than recall alone.