1) Malnutrition is a major problem in India, with nearly half of all children under 3 years old being underweight and one in three being stunted. 2) The key indicators of malnutrition are children being underweight, stunted (low height for age), or wasted (low weight for height), as well as anemia. In India, nearly every second young child is malnourished. 3) Malnutrition limits children's development and learning potential. It is a contributing factor in 50% of child deaths in India, despite nutrition programs through ICDS that provide supplementary feeding and preschool education.

1. MALNUTRITION
IN INDIA By:
Aasim Khan
Achint Kumar
Arun Jadaun
Dhruv Kulshresth
Hemendra Singh
Jaidev Khatri
Shikha Yadav

2. What is Malnutrition?
 Malnutrition is the condition that results from
taking an unbalanced diet in which certain
nutrients are lacking, in excess (too high an
intake), or in the wrong proportions.
 Types:
A. Under nutrition
 Protein Energy
 Micronutrient
B. Over nutrition

3. Indicators
Stunted: Low height-for-age.
Also known as chronic malnutrition,
Wasted: Low weight-for-height.
Also known as acute malnutrition. Carries an
immediate increased risk of morbidity and
mortality.
Underweight: Low weight for age.
Represent inadequate linear growth and poor body
proportions caused by under nutrition.

4. Every fifth young child in the
world lives in India
Every second young child in India
is malnourished
Three out of four young
children in India are anaemic
Every second newborn in India is
at risk of reduced learning
capacity
due to iodine deficiency
Malnutrition limits
development potential and
active learning capacity of the
child

5. Facts about child nutrition in India
 Cause of 50% of deaths among children.
 Nearly half (46%) of children under 3 years of age
are underweight. This number of malnourished
children is equivalent to the entire population of
Canada.
 1 in 3 children under 3 years of age are stunted, as
a result of poor nutrition.
 1 in 5 children below 3 years of age are wasted
 8 in 10 children of 6 – 35 months of age are anemic.

6. CURRENT SCENARIO

7. Source- NFHS- 3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Underweight
Children
Stunted
Children
Wasted
Children
42.5
48 49.8
39.9
43.7
20.4
Percentage distibution of nutritional statusof children <3
yrs.
India
Rajasthan

8. Source- NFHS- 3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
mild moderate severe
26.3
40.2
2.9
22.8
40.2
6.7
Anemia status in children 6-35 months
India
Rajasthan

9. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Children given vitamin A
supplements in last 6 months
Children given iron supplements
in last 7 days
18.2
4.7
10
1
Percentage of children in age 6- 59 months
India
Rajasthan
Source- NFHS- 3

10. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
32.9
26.3
20
15.8
22.8
18.2
48.9
21.1
17.3
12.9
9.6 10.3 9.6
37.2
Utilization of ICDS by children <6 yrs.
India
Source- NFHS- 3

11. Source- NFHS- 3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
children <3 yrs
initiated
breastfeeding within
1 hr.
children <5 months
exclusively breastfed
children of 6-9
months receiving
solid or semi solid
food & breast milk
23.6
46
56
13.3
33.2
38.7
Child feeding practices in percentage
India
Rajasthan

12. GAPs
 Current program lays more emphasis on the
provision of supplementary feeding and preschool
education to children four to six years old.
 Children under three years do not get
micronutrient supplements
 Parents are not reached with counseling on better
feeding and child care practices using family
budget.
 Overburdened community workers.

13.  To focus on supplementary feeding of children
in 0-6 months.
 To improve parent and community
participation.
 To improve monthly growth monitoring by
interpersonal communication with the care
takers.
OBJECTIVES

14. STRATEGIES
BCC
ICDS
Severely
Malnourished
Program
Specification

15. Severely Malnourished
 Identification
 Monitoring
 Mentoring
 Special Units:
A. Three Meals
B. Education and BCC

16. Program Specifications
 Daily Meals
 IEC, BCC, Community Participation,
 Effective monitoring and evaluation
 Education and capacity building
 Sanitation
 ASHA along with Anganwadi Incentive based
program

17. Interventions
 Sensitization / Uni-direction
 Parents (Decision Maker)
 NGO and CBOs involvement
 Tracking system
 Nutritional Chart (children)
 Information Flow (monitoring)
 Observation of fixed day fixed site MCH&
Nutrition day where father & family members
are also involved

18. References:
 Fact Sheet (Nutrition and child health India)
 USAID Fact Sheet
 NFHS-3
 Registrar General of India 2008
 Census

19. THANK YOU!