A study was undertaken in two SC/ST hostels of Salem District, Tamil Nadu, to study the nutritional status of adolescents. The socio- economic conditions, nutritional status of 50 girls and 50 boys residing in two goernment scheduled caste/scheduled tribe hostels of Salem were assessed. The study revealed that majority of samples belonged to joint families with large size family and the parents were laborers, more than 75 per cent of the samples were underweight. Except animal foods, the diet of selected subjects were inadequate and below the recommended amount. For many foods and most of the nutrients, the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.5. Gross deficit was noted in calories, protein and fat, calcium and iron intake by the adolescents. The results indicated that there was significant and positive relation between food, nutrients and body mass index.