This research aims to promote the pre-pregnancy nutritional care by increasing the nutritional knowledge, attitude and practices of the women through nutrition education and behaviour change strategy. An exploratory study was undertaken and ninety non-pregnant, newly married women (A statistically significant relationship exists between subject’s pre-KAP score and nutritional status  Two third subjects reported atleast one symptom of anaemia and majority (55%) suffered from fatigue. 13.3% had height < 145cm and 26.7% had weight < 45kg constituting a high risk group. More of over-nourished (38%) women were seen than undernourished (7%). Dietary intakes were severely sub-optimal in almost all the food groups and nutrients except for fats/oils. Only 4.5% and 8.9% subjects met the required RDA for iron and folic acid, respectively. The percentage increment in the mean KAP score was 68.9% post intervention. A significant  difference in the total KAP score between pre and post KAP study was obtained. The increase in the nutritional knowledge, attitude and practices was attributed to the appropriate execution of the need-based nutrition education programme.

pre-pregnancy, nutrition education, behaviour change strategy.