Nourish to Flourish: Reducing Malnutrition all people have a

right to food & good nutrition.

Team Name: Achievers Team Members: Ritika Grover, Prateek Puri, Aastha Trehan Ruchika Khaitan, Neha Singh

• India, today is one of the most malnourished countries in the World.

• More than 40% of the World’s under weight children below five years live in India (Global Hunger Index 2007)

• The latest NFHS 3 asserts that not much progress has been achieved in improving human resources.

• Poverty is a major, but not the only cause of malnutrition

• Percentage of population suffering from various forms of malnutrition, far exceeds the percentage below poverty line

• After National Nutrition Policy 1993 and National Plan of Action, 1995 no national programs or policies for eradicating malnutrition have appeared.

• Today, India has no national programme to combat malnutrition 2

Introduction

Adolescents learn better & achieve

higher grades in school

Girls & women are well-nourished and

have healthy newborn babies

Children receive proper nutrition

and develop strong bodies &

minds

Families & communities

emerge out of poverty

Communities & nations are

productive & stable

The world is a safer, more resilient &

stronger place

Young adults are better able to obtain

work & earn more

Why nutrition?

Because when..

Children receive proper nutrition

and develop strong bodies & minds

ROOTED IN

Poverty Disempowerment of women

Political & Cultural Environment

Insufficient access to affordable, nutritious

FOOD throughout the year

Lack of good

CARE

for mothers & children & support for mothers on appropriate child

feeding practices

Inadequate access to

HEALTH

sanitation & clean water services

The causes of malnutrition are interconnected

(i) India has no comprehensive National Program for the eradication of Malnutrition. The ICDS programme in governmental and general perception is seen as a programme to address malnutrition. However, ICDS is not a programme for the eradication of malnutrition, but for Integrated Child Development.

(ii) Other Nutrition and related programmes such as the Mid Day Meal Programme, Kishori Shakti Yojana, Vitamin A supplementation programme, National Nutritional Anaemia Control Programme, and the National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Progreamme address some of the causes of Malnutrition but not all of them.

(iii) Malnutrition in India is deeply rooted in the inter-generational cycle. However, the current policies and programmes do not address the issue inter-generationally, as depicted in the diagram.

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Analysis of current situation

(iv) The population of India suffers from a high Protein Calorie deficit. Studies reveal that 30% of the households in India consume less than 70% of the energy requirement and calorie intake(NNMB repeat surveys 1988-1990 and 1996-97).

(v) There is inadequate awareness and information regarding proper nutritional practices amongst the population.

(vi) Crucial prescriptions of the National Nutrition Policy, 1993, were not translated into National Programmes, viz., popularization of low cost nutritious foods, reaching the adolescent girl, fortification of essential foods and control of micronutrient deficiencies.

(vii) Most importantly, eradication of malnutrition should be articulated as high priority in the National Development Agenda.

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Feeding Practices & Behaviors: Encouraging exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age and continued breastfeeding together with appropriate and nutritious food up to 2 years of age and beyond Fortification of foods: Enabling access to nutrients through incorporating them into foods Micronutrient supplementation: Direct provision of extra nutrients Treatment of acute malnutrition: Enabling persons with moderate and severe malnutrition to access effective treatment

Agriculture: Making nutritious food more accessible to everyone, and supporting small farms as a source of income for women and families Clean Water & Sanitation: Improving access to reduce infection and disease Education & Employment: Making sure children have the nutrition needed to learn and earn a decent income as adults Health Care: Access to services that enable women & children to be healthy Support for Resilience: Establishing a stronger, healthier population and sustained prosperity to better endure emergencies and conflicts

Nutrition-Sensitive Strategies Specific Actions for Nutrition

Nutrition-sensitive strategies increase the impact of specific actions for nutrition

1. Weighment of child within 6 hours of birth and thereafter at monthly intervals.

2. Timely initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, and feeding of colostrum to the infant.

3. Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life.

4. Timely introduction of complementary foods at six months and adequate intake of the same, in terms of quantity, quality and frequency for children between 6-24 months.

5. Dietary supplements of all children between 6 months – 72 months through energy dense foods made by SHGs from locally available food material to bridge the protein calorie gap.

6. Safe handling of complementary foods and hygienic complementary feeding practices.

7. Complete immunization and Vitamin A supplementation.

8. De-worming of all family members bi-annually. 8

Essential Interventions to Combat Malnutrition

9. Frequent, appropriate, and active feeding for children during and after illness, including oral rehydration with Zinc supplementation during diarrhea.

10. Timely and quality therapeutic feeding and care for all children with severe and acute malnutrition.

11. Dietary supplements of iron – rich, energy dense foods made from locally available food material prepared by women SHGs for adolescent girls and women, especially during growth periods and pregnancy to fill the protein calorie gap and ensure optimal weight gain during pregnancy.

12. Anaemia screening for children, adolescent girls and women.

13. Weight monitoring of all adolescent girls and pregnant women.

14. Prevention and management of Micro-Nutrient deficiencies, especially through IFA supplementation to prevent anaemia in adolescent girls and women.

15. Making available low cost energy foods for the general population.

16. Fortification of common foods.

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• A computerized Central and Block level monitoring systems should be devised with deliverable targets and time frames.

• An effective concurrent monitoring system through an external agency can also be established for measuring outcomes, and for effecting changes and mid course corrections.

• At the AW level, community based nutrition monitoring and surveillance through ICDS infrastructure could include growth monitoring of infants and children and weight monitoring of adolescent girls and women

• Creating a data base on the nutritional status of children, adolescents and women.

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Nutrition Monitoring and Surveillance

together we can achieve what no single effort could,

and make India a healthier, stronger place for us all. Our goal is a better India for all …especially our children

Thank you

Appendix

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition_in_India

• http://www.unicef.org/india/children_2356.htm

• HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION IN INDIA: • STATUS, CAUSES AND CURES :

http://www.angoc.org/portal/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/12/vietnam-food-and-nutrition-security-situationer/India.pdf

• NUTRITION STRATEGY OVERVIEW