Malnutrition in India: Causes & Consequences

As per a recent UNICEF Report, Obesity surpassed underweight as the most prevalent form of malnutrition, affecting one in 10, or 188 million, school-aged children and adolescents, and placing them at risk of life-threatening diseases.

What is Malnutrition?

It refers to imbalances in a person’s intake of nutrients and addresses 3 broad groups of conditions:
- Undernutrition: Includes wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age), and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals.
- Micronutrient-related malnutrition: Includes micronutrient deficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals) or micronutrient excess; and
- Overweight, obesity (too heavy for his or her height) and diet-related non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers).

Poverty: Limited access to nutritious food due to low income. For example, India had 160 million people in extreme poverty in 2023.
Economic and regional Inequality: Lead to disparities in access to healthcare, education, and resources.
Food insecurity: Around 282 million people in 59 countries experienced high levels of acute hunger in 2023 (GRFC).
Lack of awareness: about nutrition, breastfeeding, and child care.
Poor sanitation: Increase the risk of infections, diseases and malnutrition as shown in the report ‘Improving Nutrition Outcomes with Better Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ by UNICEF and WHO.
Gender inequality: Discrimination against women and girls. Children and women are at the forefront of hunger crises; over 36 million children under 5 years are acutely malnourished across 32 countries (GRFC).
Climate change: Impact agricultural productivity and food availability.

Leads to stunting, wasting, and being underweight in children.
Impaired brain development affects learning and cognitive abilities.
Increased susceptibility to diseases due to weakened immune system.
Inter-generational cycle: Malnourished mothers are likely to give birth to low-birth-weight babies.
Lower work capacity and earning potential impact the country’s GDP.

National Food Security Act, 2013: Provide subsidised foodgrains to around 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population.
PM-POSHAN: To provide one hot cooked meal in Government and Government-aided schools from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan), 2018: To ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers and children to attain a malnutrition-free India by 2022.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat Yojana), 2018: Provide a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, 2017: Provides cash incentives to pregnant and lactating women.
Anganwadi Services: Provides supplementary nutrition, immunisation, and health check-ups for children and pregnant women.

Convergent Governance: Effective implementation of Poshan Abhiyaan with real-time monitoring through Poshan Tracker; reduce stunting to 25% by 2022, aligned with SDG-2.
Nutrition Security: Diversify PDS with millets, pulses, oilseeds; promote nutri-gardens (Odisha’s Mo Upakari Bagicha); expand PM-POSHAN for schoolchildren.
Food Fortification: Iodization of salt through the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program in 1992 significantly reduced goitre prevalence.
WASH Integration: Converge with Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission to reduce diarrhoea-linked undernutrition.