Why in the news?

  • Issue of infant deaths in Melghat region of Maharashtra is reported as a result of Malnutrition and poor maternal healthcare.

Malnutrition among Indian Children

  • Malnutrition: It refers to undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition.
  • Types of Malnutrition in India:
    • Stunting: Low height for age.
    • Wasting: Low weight for height
    • Underweight: Low weight for age
    • Childhood Overweight/Obesity
    • Micronutrient Deficiencies
  • Current Status in India: According to NFHS 5 data,
    • Stunting (<5 years): 35.5%
    • Wasting (<5 years): 19.3%
    • Underweight: 32.1%
    • Severe wasting: 7.7%
    • Anaemia (<5 years): 67.1%
  • Causes:
    • Poor maternal nutrition & anaemia owing to early marriage & teenage pregnancy.
    • Low birth weight and inadequate antenatal care.
    • Poor dietary diversity & inadequate protein intake.
    • Frequent diarrhoea, pneumonia, malaria and Lack of immunisation.
    • Socio-economic factors like poverty, inequality, inadequate access to healthcare facilities etc.
  • Initiatives of Government of India:
    • POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission), 2018: Focus on convergence, technology (ICDS-CAS), behaviour change (Jan Andolan).
    • Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Anganwadi-based nutrition for children, pregnant & lactating women.
    • PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal Scheme): Hot cooked meals for school children to reduce classroom hunger.
    • Anaemia Mukt Bharat: 6x6x6 strategy targeting children, adolescents, pregnant women through weekly iron & folic acid supplementation.
    • National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: Legal entitlements to subsidised grains as well  as maternity benefits.
  • Challenges:
    • Poor data quality and under-reporting of malnutrition
    • High anaemia levels not improving despite multiple programmes
    • Leakages in PDS and irregularity in Anganwadi supplementary nutrition
    • Regional disparities: Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, UP worst-hit
    • Behaviour change at household level remains slow
    • Climate-related food insecurity increasing nutritional stress
  • Way Forward:
    • Strengthen Maternal Health by addressing teenage pregnancy and improving antenatal care & maternal nutrition
    • Improve Child Feeding Practices such as ensuring 6 months exclusive breastfeeding and promoting dietary diversity
    • Address Anaemia on Priority by Universal screening and Better iron-fortified foods
    • Strengthen Anganwadi System by Capacity building of frontline workers
    • Ensure Last-Mile Social Protection through strengthened PDS delivery
    • Behavioural change through Jan Andolan-style community mobilisation and Nutrition counselling for mothers and caregivers.

Source: The Hindu