Counting the number of people who suffer from nutritional deficiencies is a critical step in understanding the true extent of poverty. Nutritional deficiency means that people aren’t getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients they need for a healthy life. Often, poverty is measured by income alone, but looking at nutritional deficiency gives a clearer picture of who is really struggling to meet their basic needs. This approach helps identify those who might be overlooked by traditional measures of poverty, ensuring that aid and resources reach those who need it the most.
Tags: GS- 2, Issues Relating to Poverty & HungerIssues– Related to ChildrenIssues Related to WomenGovernment Policies & Interventions
For Prelims: National Sample Survey Office, Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23, Nutritional security,National Family Health Survey-5, Economic Survey 2023-24, Govt. Schemes
For Mains: India’s Nutritional Challenges, Indian Government Initiatives Related to Nutritional Security.
Context:
- The National Sample Survey Office’s Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 reveals critical data on India’s poverty and nutrition.
- Analysis shows that the average daily calorie requirement is 2,172 kcal in rural areas and 2,135 kcal in urban areas. However, the poorest 10% consume only 1,564-1,764 kcal in rural areas and 1,607-1,773 kcal in urban areas.
- This results in 17.1% of the rural and 14% of the urban population being classified as “poor” or “deprived.”
About Nutritional Security:
- Nutritional security ensures access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy life, focusing on both the quality and effective utilisation of nutrients.
What is the Importance of Nutritional Security?
- Holistic Health Outcomes: Emphasises nutrient quality and dietary diversity, not just calorie intake, ensuring optimal health beyond mere calorie sufficiency.
- Economic Productivity: Malnutrition reduces work capacity and increases healthcare costs; micronutrient malnutrition in India costs 0.8% to 2.5% of GDP.
- Cognitive Development: Adequate early childhood nutrition boosts cognitive development, better school performance, and higher future earning potential.
- Disease Resilience: Good nutrition enhances disease resistance and reduces healthcare burdens, crucial during health crises like Covid-19.
- Biodiversity: Encourages diverse diets, supporting agricultural biodiversity and preserving cultural food heritage.
What are the Challenges in India?
- Economic Disparity: Despite economic growth, wealth inequality limits access to diverse, nutritious foods, linking poverty with malnutrition. The poorest 10% consume significantly below recommended calorie intakes.
- Green Revolution Legacy: Focus on staple crops (wheat and rice) has led to micronutrient deficiencies. Recent initiatives to promote millets are steps toward addressing nutritional diversity.
- Climate Change: Impacts food security through altered crop yields and increased prices, worsening nutrition for vulnerable populations. India ranks 7th in climate impact according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021.
- Knowledge Gap: Low nutritional literacy affects dietary choices. The ASER 2022 highlights the need for better nutritional education to improve health outcomes.
- Healthcare Infrastructure: Rural areas face inadequate nutritional interventions. The National Family Health Survey-5 shows gaps in basic health services, affecting nutrition support.
- Urbanisation Issues: Urbanisation leads to food deserts and reliance on processed foods, affecting nutrition. The Economic Survey 2023-24 notes the impact of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets.
- Policy Implementation: Nutrition-focused policies often fall short due to inefficiencies and corruption. Poshan Abhiyaan’s goals are unmet due to underutilised funds and implementation challenges.
- Food Safety: Food safety issues, such as contamination and poor handling, reduce nutritional quality. Reports indicate significant violations in food quality standards.
- Food Waste: India loses over 40% of food produced due to inadequate infrastructure, raising prices and reducing access to nutritious diets.
What are the Government Steps to Address Nutritional Challenges in India?
- Mission Poshan 2.0:
- Objective: Enhance nutritional outcomes through improved service delivery, leveraging technology for tracking and accountability.
- Focus Areas: Strengthen the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, promote community-based interventions, and improve the convergence of various health and nutrition schemes.
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme:
- Objective: Provide a range of services including supplementary nutrition, immunisation, and preschool education to children under 6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
- Focus Areas: Holistic child development and addressing malnutrition at its roots through a network of Anganwadi centres.
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY):
- Objective: Provide financial assistance to pregnant and lactating women to improve their health and nutrition.
- Focus Areas: Conditional cash transfers for health check-ups and institutional deliveries to reduce maternal and child malnutrition.
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
- Objective: Provide free, nutritious meals to school children to enhance their nutritional status and educational outcomes.
- Focus Areas: Ensure regular meals at schools, improve dietary diversity, and promote school attendance.
- Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG):
- Objective: Address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls through supplementary nutrition and health education.
- Focus Areas: Improve health outcomes, nutritional status, and educational attainment of adolescent girls.
- Mother’s Absolute Affection (MAA):
- Objective: Promote breastfeeding and improve maternal and child health through education and support.
- Focus Areas: Encourage exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and ensure appropriate infant feeding practices.
- Poshan Vatikas:
- Objective: Promote kitchen gardens in communities to improve access to diverse, fresh, and nutritious food.
- Focus Areas: Encourage local production of vegetables and fruits, enhance dietary diversity, and foster community involvement in nutrition.
What are the Measures India Can Adopt to Bridge the Nutrition Gap?
- Nutrition-Integrated Social Safety Nets:
- Expand PDS: Include nutrient-rich foods like pulses, millets, and fortified oils.
- Nutrition Education: Make it a prerequisite for benefits under schemes like MGNREGA.
- Nutrition Credit System: Award points for choosing healthier options, redeemable for health services or products.
- Targeted Nutrition Coupon Program:
- Food Coupons: Provide customised coupons for nutrient-rich foods to malnourished individuals.
- Redeemable Options: Allow use at local markets and farmers, adapting to seasonal availability.
- Transforming Educational Institutions into Nutrition Hubs:
- Revamp Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Include balanced meals, school gardens, nutrition education, and health assessments.
- Nutrition Report Cards: Combine with academic reports to engage parents in nutritional well-being.
- Nutri-Preneur Program:
- Support Nutrition Businesses: Incubate start-ups in fortified food products, low-cost nutrition kits, and efficient cold chains.
- Nutrition Innovation Fund: Finance promising nutrition-focused projects through public-private partnerships.
- Behavioral Economics for Nutrition:
- Healthy Food Choices: Redesign packaging for clearer nutritional information and place healthier options prominently.
- Public Health Campaigns: Use marketing to make nutritious eating aspirational.
- Integrated Nutrition Surveillance System:
- Real-Time Data Collection: Use existing health infrastructure and technology for monitoring.
- Predictive Analytics: Apply advanced algorithms to anticipate nutritional trends and trigger emergency responses.
- Fortification Plus – Enhancing Staple Foods:
- Expand Fortification: Strengthen programs to fortify rice, wheat flour, and oils with essential micronutrients.
- Nutri-Smart Agriculture:
- Incentivize Diverse Crops: Support cultivation of nutrient-dense crops and biofortified varieties.
- Nutrition Extension Service: Educate farmers on nutrition-sensitive practices.
- Community Nutrition Champions:
- Local Volunteers: Train ASHA workers to conduct nutrition sessions, cooking demonstrations, and counselling.
- Peer-to-Peer Approach: Address cultural barriers and promote sustainable dietary changes at the grassroots level.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims:
Q:1 Which of the following is/are the indicators/ indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index Report? (2016)
- Undernourishment
- Child stunting
- Child mortality
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- 1 and 3 only
Ans: C
Mains:
Q:1 How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (2018)
Source: TH
FAQs
Q: What does it mean to have a nutritional deficiency?
- Answer: A nutritional deficiency occurs when a person doesn’t get enough essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, or proteins from their diet. This can lead to health problems like weakened immunity, stunted growth, and other serious illnesses.
Q: Why is it important to count the ‘poor’ with nutritional deficiencies?
- Answer: Counting the poor who suffer from nutritional deficiencies is important because it helps the government and organizations understand how widespread the problem is. This information is crucial for planning and implementing programs to improve nutrition and health in vulnerable populations.
Q: How do nutritional deficiencies affect the poor?
- Answer: Nutritional deficiencies can severely affect the poor, leading to chronic health issues, reduced ability to work or study, and overall lower quality of life. Poor nutrition can also make it harder for children to learn and grow properly, impacting their future opportunities.
Q: What are some common nutritional deficiencies among the poor?
- Answer: Common nutritional deficiencies among the poor include lack of iron, leading to anemia; vitamin A deficiency, which can cause vision problems; and insufficient protein, affecting muscle development and overall health. These deficiencies are often due to a lack of access to a varied and nutritious diet.
Q: What can be done to address nutritional deficiencies in the poor?
- Answer: To address nutritional deficiencies, governments and organizations can provide food aid, improve access to healthcare, and educate communities about proper nutrition. Fortifying common foods with essential vitamins and minerals and ensuring that welfare programs reach those in need are also effective strategies.
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