Poor nutrition intake is a pressing issue in India, hurtling the health of our country into a state of emergency. Almost half of children under the age of three are underweight; 74% of are anemic and 30% of newborns are born with low birth weight. The largest determinant of under nutrition among the population is micronutrient deficiency of Vitamin A, iodine, and iron. The most highly affected populations are children under 3, women who are pregnant or lactating, and more specifically, those in rural areas and "scheduled castes and tribes." Risk factors for this nutritional emergency include food insecurity, education level (especially of mothers), inappropriate feeding practices, inadequate health services, and is plagued further by the vicious infection-undernutrition cycle. The implications of this nutrition crisis extend into the education and productivity of children and the future economic growth of the country. There has already been a great deal of progress made in our country through projects like the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Tamil Nadu nutrition program, yet more must be done. If we are to change the nutritional status of our citizens for the better, effective food fortification policies must be implemented, and feeding practices of young children and mothers must be improved.
Nature and Magnitude of the Problem.
Under nutrition in India is among the highest in the world, far exceeding that of sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly ¾ of Indian children are underweight, 19% are wasted (in fact, Indian children account for one-third of the world's wasting), and 38% are stunted.3 While undernutrition has been steadily declining over the past few years, the rate of undernutrition remains unacceptable, accounting for 22% of the burden of disease. Over half of child deaths are associated with undernutrition. Micronutrient deficiency is the major cause of undernutrition.
