Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/as-pm-s-mann-ki-baat-urges-awareness-experts-say-malnutrition-as-much-a-food-availability-issue-abantika-ghosh.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | As PM’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ urges awareness, experts say malnutrition as much a food availability issue -Abantika Ghosh | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

As PM’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ urges awareness, experts say malnutrition as much a food availability issue -Abantika Ghosh

-ThePrint.in

Experts say governance issues and gaps in understanding the root of the problem thwart eradication efforts. Minor improvement in indicators, but India caught in malnutrition cycle.

New Delhi: On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Indian government’s nutritional programmes and how they have helped in reducing the problem of malnutrition. Yet, 47 years after the government instituted the Integrated Child Development Services  (ICDS) — one of India’s oldest flagships for malnutrition alleviation — data from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey 5 shows that one in every three Indian children is still malnourished.

In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast, Modi spoke about India’s nutritional programmes and urged Indians to participate in the efforts to eradicate malnutrition in the country. The PM was addressing the programme just ahead of the ‘poshan maah’ (nutrition month) in September.

But data from the NFHS 5 — conducted between 2019 and 2021 and released in May this year — shows that 35.5 per cent of Indian children (Urban: 30.1 per cent, Rural: 37.3) under 5 are stunted — that is, their height is less than it should be for their age. 

The data also shows that 32.1 per cent of children in the same age group (Urban: 27.3 per  cent, Rural: 33.8 per cent) are underweight — that is, they weigh less than they should for their age — and that 19.3 per cent of children (Urban: 18.5 per cent, Rural: 19.5 per cent) are wasted, that is, they weigh less than they should for their height.  

The latest NFHS Survey — a nationwide survey conducted by the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare  — shows minor improvement over the previous one (NFHS 4) conducted between 2015 and 2016, when 38.4 per cent children were stunted, 21 per cent wasted, and 35.8 per cent underweight.  

Please click here to read more.