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The Editorial 02-12-2022 Micronutrient malnutrition and food fortification

FOOD & AGRICULTURE
02 Dec, 2022

Theme : Food Processing & Related Industries In India

Paper:GS - 3

TABLE OF CONTENT

  1. Context
  2. Malnutrition
  3. Importance of Micronutrients
  4. India’s Status on Malnutrition is worrisome
  5. Food Fortification
  6. How is India dealing with Malnutrition & Anaemia

Context : When it comes to nutrition, or more specifically micronutrient malnutrition, there is an urgent need to address the maladies that poor nutrition can inflict on the masses, especially given the diverse populations in India.

Malnutrition : 

  • Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.
  • The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions.
  • One is ‘undernutrition’ which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals).
  • The other is overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer).

Importance of Micronutrients : 

  • Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in very small amounts.
  • They perform a range of functions, including enabling the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances needed for normal growth and development.
  • However, their impact on a body’s health is critical, and deficiency in any of them can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions. This can lead to reduced educational outcomes, reduced work productivity and increased risk from other diseases
  • Deficiencies in iron, vitamin A and iodine are the most common around the world, particularly in children and pregnant women.
  • Low- and middle-income countries bear the disproportionate burden of micronutrient deficiencies.
  • Many of these deficiencies are preventable through food fortification and supplementation, where needed.

India’s Status on Malnutrition is worrisome : 

  • According to the National family Health survey (NFHS): As in NFHS-5 data, every second Indian woman is anemic, every third child is stunted and malnourished, and every fifth child is wasted.
  • According to an FAO Food Security Report for 2021: India ranks 101 out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2021, with a 15.3% undernourished population, the highest proportion of stunted children (30%), and wasted children (17.3%).
  • Higher rate of stunting: The picture the Global Nutrition Report 2021 paints is cause for concern, noting that stunting among children in India is significantly higher than the Asian average of 21.8%.

Food Fortification : 

  • Food fortification is the process of adding nutrients to food.
  • For instance, rice and wheat are fortified with iron, folic acid and vitamin B12, and salt fortified with iron and iodine. Iodised salt has been in use for the past few decades.

How is India dealing with Malnutrition & Anaemia : 

  • Fortified rice though PDS: Pilot projects on the distribution of fortified rice have been taken up in select States, including Maharashtra (Gadchiroli district) as part of a targeted Public Distribution programme for the masses.
  • Scaling up the distribution through various food security schemes: The programme has been a success in terms of preventing cases of anemia from 58.9% to 29.5%, within a span of two years, prompting the central government to declare the scaling up of the distribution of fortified rice, the major staple diet of 65% of the population, through the existing platform of social safety nets such as the PDS, ICDS and PM-POSHAN.
  • Cost-effective strategy: Experiences from the different States on the fortified rice project, so far tally with the results of global programmes that use fortified food as a cost-effective strategy.
  • Reduction in anemia: The study found a promising reduction (29.5%) in the prevalence of anemia among women, adolescent girls, and children put together in Gadchiroli district.

FAQs : 

  1. What is Malnutrition ?

ANS. Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions.

  1. What are Micronutrients ?

ANS.  Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in very small amounts.They perform a range of functions, including enabling the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances needed for normal growth and development.