Malnutrition In India

Many among the population live in poverty and are not able to obtain as much food as they need.

Malnutrition in india. Meanwhile 5 1 of women and 2 7 of men have obesity. Malnutrition is india s silent emergency and among india s greatest human development challenges. India has unacceptably high levels child undernutrition with 38 4 percent of children stunted and 21 percent of children wasted nfhs 4 despite strong constitutional legislative policy plan and. This is contrasted by the ever expanding number of people within the country suffering from obesity.

Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Malnutrition in india effects causes strategies and government initiatives this issue falls under the upsc main examination syllabus of general studies ii issues relating to development and management of social sector services relating to health education human resources. Unicef report notes that nearly one in three people in india have at least one form of malnutrition and this will increase to one in two by 2025 going by current trends. It is an example of how india is a nation of extremes.

Malnutrition is a complex issue for india. This implies that about 56 of women and 61 of men are at normal weight for their height. He also addressed inadequate sanitation which triggers increases in infection borne deficiencies in nutrients. Women who suffer malnutrition are less likely to have healthy babies.

India s adult population also face a malnutrition burden. Although india has witnessed significant progress in its battle against child malnutrition over the past decade the progress has been quite uneven and child malnutrition rates still remain high. Although india has seen strong economic growth over the past 20 years malnutrition in children under five years of age continues to be among the highest in the world. Deficiencies in nutrition inflict long term damage to both individuals and society.

Due to the low social status of population their diet often lacks in both quality and quantity. In india 54 9 of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed. One of the major causes for malnutrition in india is economic inequality. According to nobel prize winner for economics angus deaton malnutrition in india is not just related to calorie intake but india s dependence on a carbohydrate based diet with low protein and fat content.

What does the national nutrition strategy propose. The simultaneous occurrence of over nutrition and under nutrition indicates that adults in india are suffering from a dual burden of malnutrition abnormal thinness and obesity.