A different perspective on malnutrition: Consider a breakfast policy for school-going children

Abstract

THE new government has assumed office in the midst of a difficult time. The coffers are empty, the rains are failing and hard decisions that should have been taken a long time ago cannot be postponed any more. Many existing policies are expected to be reviewed and many new ones will be formulated. An important policy initiative of last year, Food Security Act, may need reconsideration because the unavailability of food probably is not a universal problem in India but far more significant is malnutrition to which the government needs to focus.

In fact, malnutrition and under-nourishment are maladies that reduce the economic potential of individuals. In India, nutrition insecurity and micro-nutrient deficiency are the most widespread health problems, especially in case of children and lactating mothers. They are the cause of nearly 40 per cent of the children's deaths annually, and impact the health of the mother, leading to nearly 60,000 deaths during child-birth annually. It is now established that if a child does not get proper nutrition in the first thousand days of life, then the child is stunted, resulting in poor cognitive and memory capacity, higher incidence of disease in later years and less ability to work efficiently. The damage, once caused during the early years of growth, can never be repaired. Read more at: https://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140818/edit.htm#4