The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) recently undertook the inaugural comprehensive National Nutrition Survey. An endeavor to measure malnutrition, this survey not only pinned down micronutrient deficiencies but also delved into the details of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and kidney function in children and adolescents.
Key Findings of the Survey
Substantial data was collected during the survey, revealing that nearly around 10% of children aged between 5-9 years and teenagers aged between 10-19 years are pre-diabetic. It was also found that 5% of these groups are overweight, while another 5% suffer from blood pressure. The survey was the first to provide hard evidence about the coexistence of obesity and undernutrition among school-going children.
The National Nutrition Survey Vs The National Family Health Survey
It’s important to understand the fundamental differences between the National Nutrition Survey and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). While NFHS is geared towards assessing the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight along with gauging the household dietary intake to detect deficiencies, the National Nutrition Survey has broader scopes. Distinctly, the latter collects data not only for one to five-year-olds and adults but it also includes school-going children between the age of 5 and 19 years.
Initiatives Taken By The Indian Government to Fight Malnutrition
The government of India has initiated several schemes to curtail the instances of malnutrition. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Rs.6,000 is given directly to the bank accounts of pregnant women thus facilitating better delivery facilities. Furthermore, the POSHAN Abhiyaan launched in the fiscal year 2017-18, seeks to lessen stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies by fostering synergy and convergence among different programmes, enhancing monitoring and boosting community mobilisation.
Key Facts about Malnutrition in India
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Pre-diabetic children and adolescents | 10% |
| Overweight children and adolescents | 5% |
| Children and adolescents with high blood pressure | 5% |
Understanding Malnutrition And Undernutrition
Malnutrition is a broad term that encompasses deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. It mainly includes two categories: undernutrition and obesity. Undernutrition covers stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies which is a lack of vital vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, obesity includes overweight and diet-related noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
The National Nutrition Survey is a stepping stone for understanding and tackling the issue of malnutrition, aiming to ensure nutritional security for all, especially the most vulnerable.
