Health Awareness on Malnutrition

Malnutrition

About a third of Indian’s are believed to be malnourished and over 40% of children receive less food than they should. The Govt. of India is increasing food subsidies to address this situation, but the rapidly rising population of much of Northern India (birth rate has fallen but momentum means the population continues to rise) poses continuing challenges.

The following are some articles that attempt to explore the problem.

Malnutrition

Although great improvements have been made within the past few years, there still remains a great number of malnutrition related illnesses that are still present in the county and remains a major public health issue.After much controversy long awaited results of the 2015 report concerning malnutrition in India has been released . The Rapid Survey on Children (RSoC), a survey performed between the year 2013 and 2014. A civile collective have demanded that malnutrition should be included as a medical emergency in hopes to further decrease the number of malnourished children in India.

The RSoC reports that:

38.7% are considered stunted (low height for age)

29.4% are considered underweight (low weight for age)

15% are considered wasted (low weight for height)

Data from an older report (NFHS-3 data) has shown similar numbers and correlation between the two studies seems apparent.

Micro nutrient Malnutrition in India

With one sixth of the global population residing in India, one third of about two billion people suffering from vitamin and micronutrient deficit are in India.Micronutrients are required in small quantities and responsible for vital functions of the human body. Recent data suggest, some forms of micronutrient malnutrition are reaching their peak in the present century. This article looks at the magnitude of this problem, and the initiatives taken by the government to tackle it and the results obtained with those efforts. Then, an effort is made to consider newer options and commitments required that are available for tackling the problem of micronutrient malnutrition.

World Bank report on nutrition in India 

Stunting (described as low height for age) in Indian children, 6 to 24 months of age, could be dramatically reduced if children receive three things critical for good nutrition – adequate feeding, health care and environmental health. This is in a new World Bank report which analyses data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005-06 and the HUMGAMA Survey 2011 to indicate a strong co-relation between stunting in children and their adequacy or inadequacy in these three dimensions.

The World Bank Report on Malnutrition in India

According to the World Bank report, the integrated child development services needs to undergo many changes. The full report can be downloaded from here.

11.7 % increase in funds for Integrated Child Development Services

In March 2013, the Hindu reported that finance Minister P. Chidambaram commended the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) for being able to spend the entire amount of Rs. 15,850 crore provided in 2012-13. As a reward for this,  an allocation of Rs. 17,700 crore in 2013-14 in the Budget proposal — an increase of 11.7 per cent for the ministry has been made. To read more please click here.

World Vision and Save the Children Produce a Nutrition Barometer putting India at the Bottom of the list

World Vision India and Save the Children are calling for political promises to be urgently translated into action to avert the deaths of millions of undernourished children, of which over 5000 die every day in India alone.Strikingly, India appears at the bottom of the list despite experiencing strong economic growth in the past few years. At the other end of the spectrum lies Peru, which has shown strong political resolve and has committed growing resources to fight child under nutrition, thus achieving results.

The Budget’s Big Focus on Malnutrition

Formal Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India will increase spending on malnutrition programs by 58% in fiscal 2018-19 to 158 billion rupees, or about $3 billion. Despite its rapid economic growth, India has struggled with persistently high rates of malnutrition, far worse than many worse-performing economies. A recent Indian survey, which covered about a fifth of the country’s children, found 42% of those under the age of 5 are underweight. 

Ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called India’s high infant and maternal mortality rates a national shame. In the Budget, the government has responded with a 58 per cent increase in allocation to the nutrition programme of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), targeting pre-school children and pregnant women.

First 1,000 days shape health for life

Scientists say there are at least 50 brain chemicals or neurotransmitters that are affected by the intake of food and micro nutrients by the child in his or her first 1,000 days. The impact of inadequate nutrition during this golden period is lasting and irreversible, with effects beyond physical health to affect the child’s cognitive development

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