The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently released its ‘State of the World’s Children’ report in 2019, which provides comprehensive data on the status of children’s food and nutrition worldwide. This report is deemed as the most extensive of its kind in two decades. Supplementing this, the Global Hunger Index report was also launched recently by a non-profit organization, Welthungerhilfe.
Key Findings: The Scourge of Malnutrition
In a stark revelation, the report states that a minimum of one out of every three children below the age of five is either undernourished or overweight. Even more alarming is the fact that one in two children are victims of hidden hunger – a deficiency in vital vitamins and minerals.
The Implications of Malnutrition
The triple burden of malnutrition transpires in three forms – undernutrition, hidden hunger, and overweight. These conditions impose severe threats to child survival, growth, development, as well as economic advancement on a national scale. Iron deficiency, categorized under hidden hunger, impairs learning abilities in children and amplifies the risk of women dying during or post-childbirth.
Underlying Causes of Malnutrition
Poor diet quality has been identified as the leading cause of the triple burden of malnutrition. As per the report, two-thirds of children do not receive the diverse diet required for healthy growth and development. Factors such as globalization, urbanization, inequities, humanitarian crises, and climate shocks have collectively contributed to a drastic decline in children’s nutritional health globally.
Suggestions
Food environments play a pivotal role in shaping dietary habits. Encouraging families, children, and young adults to select nutritious foods can steer suppliers towards healthier food production. Additionally, the importance of supportive systems such as healthcare, sanitation, water, education, and social protection is emphasized for scaling up nutritional results in children. Furthermore, the necessity of regular collection, analysis, and application of high-quality data and evidence is highlighted for tracking progress and guiding preventive measures.
India-Specific Findings
Data specific to India reveals that 35% of children suffer from stunting, 17% are victims of wasting, 33% are underweight, and an alarming 2% are overweight. It has been observed that Indian children are contracted with adult diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Statistically, every second woman in India and 40.5% of children are anaemic.
Comparison with Other Countries
In the South Asian context, India records the highest prevalence (54%) of children under five who are either stunted, wasted, or overweight. It is followed by Afghanistan (49%), Bangladesh (46%), while Sri Lanka (28%) and Maldives (32%) exhibit better results.
As per the report, India also leads with the highest child mortality rate, recording over 800,000 deaths of children under five in 2018. Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo follow with 860,000, 409,000, and 296,000 deaths per year respectively.
The Role of Diet in the Malnutrition Crisis
Over time, India has witnessed a shift from seasonal, traditional foods to processed foods, resulting in an unhealthy snacking environment. Children’s food choices seem to be heavily influenced by these changes, which have also seeped into rural areas.
Moreover, current food consumption patterns in India exhibit that children’s diets are deficient in proteins and micronutrients, reflecting adult food choices in their households. Despite rising incomes, protein-based calories remain low and the caloric contribution from fruits and vegetables has been on a decline.
Steps in the Right Direction
| Programme | Impact |
|---|---|
| POSHAN Abhiyaan or the National Nutrition Mission | Significantly improving nutrition indicators across India |
| Anaemia Mukt Bharat | Effective in combating anaemia prevalence; globally recognized for addressing malnutrition |
| The 6X6X6 strategy | Applauded for using anaemia testing and treatment as an entry point to advocate healthy diets |
Conclusion
UNICEF’s ‘State of the World’s Children’ report casts a crucial spotlight on the global and regional state of child nutrition. Its findings reinforce the necessity for coherent and multi-faceted strategies that can effectively address this pervasive issue. Dubbed as one of the most comprehensive reports of its kind, it provides a critical foundation upon which we can build a healthier future for children worldwide.