People of modern days are more towards urbanizing themselves. Urbanization comes with the growth of slums in cities, crowding, limitation in access to medication, and many more. You can say that from many medical problems, it also causes malnutrition. Malnutrition in India is in two folds. Malnutrition is common in children below the age of five. In this stage of life, children’s cognitive and physical development occurs. Hence, it becomes crucial to give proper food support to the children. Mostly, people met with poverty cannot afford to provide nutrition to their children. They face inequalities with the trending words consumerism and food surplus in society today. Therefore, there were many Governmental policies and programs enforced for the betterment of this crisis.
What Is Malnutrition?
The deficiency of nutrition or imbalance meant of the nutrition through the intake of food in the body is malnutrition. Malnutrition occurs in two folds. One is due to a lack of nutrients called undernutrition. It can create a barrier to the internal and external growth of the body. And, the other is due to excessive intake of nutrients called overnutrition. It can cause obesity and heart disease in children.
Causes And Consequences Of Malnutrition In India
The factors that cause malnutrition in India are many. And the reported consequences of malnutrition are alarming. In one of the recent reports of UNICEF of malnutrition, India faced 59% death in children under the age of 5. In the calculation, India suffered the second most death rate under the age of five due to a similar type of malnutrition.
India is facing the most stunting cases in children. It causes physical damage in the body and, also there is less growth in physical structure due to undernutrition. Another level of malnutrition that India faces is deterring brain development. There is less brain development, so it decreases the mental ability in children due to a lack of nutrition.
Food is not the only factor playing a vital role in increasing undernutrition. The sanitization of pregnant women also has its contribution. There is an elaborated history of poor hygiene before conceiving that causes undernutrition in children. Also, India ranks first place for the number of cases of stunted children. And, maximum stunting case in India causes due to poor hygiene during the conceiving. In U.P, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, there are more than 50% stunt cases among all 29 states. The reports are according to UNICEF.
India is facing the most stunting cases in children. It causes physical damage in the body and, also there is less growth in physical structure due to undernutrition. Another level of malnutrition that India faces is deterring brain development. There is less brain development, so it decreases the mental ability in children due to a lack of nutrition.
Food is not the only factor playing a vital role in increasing undernutrition. The sanitization of pregnant women also has its contribution. There is an elaborated history of poor hygiene before conceiving that causes undernutrition in children. Also, India ranks first place for the number of cases of stunted children. And, maximum stunting case in India causes due to poor hygiene during the conceiving. In U.P, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, there are more than 50% stunt cases among all 29 states. The reports are according to UNICEF.
How To Get Rid of It?
● Since 2015, the number of cases of people going to the toilet in the open is decreasing. According to UNICEF, approximately 568 million people defecate outside due to a lack of awareness of toilets. The numbers tremendously decline by 2019. The Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Mission partnership with UNICEF built toilets for the underprivileged people. Now, rural India is also capable of using toilets besides practicing hygiene. People now ignore the myths about using toilets.
● Another program that comes under the Prime Minister scheme is POSHAN Anhaiyaan or, National Nutrition Mission. The Government took the initiative to check the intake of nutrients. They notice it among children, lactating women, and also pregnant women. The Prime Minister launched this program on Women’s day, 8 March 2018. NITI Ayog worked on the crisis people face on a micro-level. And, Government launched the program in partner with NITI Ayog. Also, in September
● Increasing awareness of nutrition among illiterate and poor people can bring a change. The mother needs to become educated enough. At least to understand the condition of her child. It is also a problem that mothers do not know why an ailment is there in their children’s bodies. Like if a child is suffering from rickets, then the mother is unaware of it. In fact, by telling her about the physical condition of the child, she gets angry.
● Support a mid-day meal program by talking to the school authority frequently. There are many cases of unhygienic mid-day meals. Many times there are pests in the food of children. It further causes illness in the health of the children. And, they started taking a day or more off from school. So, we must also be aware of this situation. There are many NGOs that do similar kinds of work.
● We can donate to or raise funds for the NGOs working to eliminate malnutrition from society. Most of the backward communities of Indian society are illiterate. So, many NGOs bestowed their helping hand to these families. So, they can make use of the education for their benefit. Also, NGOs provide health care services, nutritional centers, and water and hygiene to children, mothers, and all aged members of the family.
● Another program that comes under the Prime Minister scheme is POSHAN Anhaiyaan or, National Nutrition Mission. The Government took the initiative to check the intake of nutrients. They notice it among children, lactating women, and also pregnant women. The Prime Minister launched this program on Women’s day, 8 March 2018. NITI Ayog worked on the crisis people face on a micro-level. And, Government launched the program in partner with NITI Ayog. Also, in September
● Increasing awareness of nutrition among illiterate and poor people can bring a change. The mother needs to become educated enough. At least to understand the condition of her child. It is also a problem that mothers do not know why an ailment is there in their children’s bodies. Like if a child is suffering from rickets, then the mother is unaware of it. In fact, by telling her about the physical condition of the child, she gets angry.
● Support a mid-day meal program by talking to the school authority frequently. There are many cases of unhygienic mid-day meals. Many times there are pests in the food of children. It further causes illness in the health of the children. And, they started taking a day or more off from school. So, we must also be aware of this situation. There are many NGOs that do similar kinds of work.
● We can donate to or raise funds for the NGOs working to eliminate malnutrition from society. Most of the backward communities of Indian society are illiterate. So, many NGOs bestowed their helping hand to these families. So, they can make use of the education for their benefit. Also, NGOs provide health care services, nutritional centers, and water and hygiene to children, mothers, and all aged members of the family.
Conclusion
Every country has the problem of malnutrition. But, it depends on the number of cases. And India has a maximum number of stunt cases. The Government of India has applied its heels thrust to maintain the deflation in the number of cases. The condition of malnutrition has improved in the recent few years. As citizens of India, we wish to see more improvement in the results. Many schemes are showing positive results, therefore, giving hope for the future.
Penned by Piyali Das
E-mail – info@globalprofessionals.biz
E-mail – info@globalprofessionals.biz