Nutritional status of the Indian population

Abstract

High prevalence of low birth weight, high morbidity and mortality in children and poor maternal nutrition of the mother continue to be major nutritional concerns in India. Although nationwide intervention programmes are in operation over two decades, the situation has not changed greatly. In addition, the Indian population is passing through a nutritional transition and is expected to witness higher prevalences of adult non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease according to the theory of 'fetal origin of adult disease'. Clearly, there is a need for examining several issues of nutritional significance for effective planning of interventions. In particular, maternal nutrition and fetal growth relationship, long term effects of early life undernutrition, interactions of prenatal nutritional experiences and postnatal undernutrition are some of the major issues that have been discussed in the present paper with the help of prospective data from various community nutrition studies carried out in the department.

Assessment of Nutritional Status: A Case of Tribal Children in Assam, Northeast India

“…It can be summarized that the rural Sonowal Kachari under the present study is facing a greater risk in terms of undernourishment (e.g., thinness) which is even more pronounced among children of early ages. The poor nutritional status of the children, particularly girls in the higher ages, has important implications in terms of physical work capacity and adverse reproductive outcomes 11,35 and nutritional defi ciencies, menstrual irregularity and eating disorders 36,37 .…”

Thinness as Major Underlying Problem Among Adolescents of Northeast India

“…The adolescents were suff ering from thinness is more likely to develop into thin adults with a lower BMI (e.g., CED) that would have an impact on their reduce physical work produc vity as well as lead to greater morbidity and mortality in popula on 6,41 . These delicate consequences of the adolescence undernutri on were subsequently confi rmed by the researchers among diff erent Indian communi es 1,7,42 . Moreover, introduc on of physical training could substan ally improve the work capacity, but inac vity leads to rapid and substan al reduc ons in the ability to sustain heavy work.…”

“…The prevalence of undernutri on among children and adolescent are considered as a serious public health problem in India 1,3,4,5,7,8,9 . It is well known fact that contemporary India consists of a sizable number of ethnic and indigenous elements with enormous amounts of ethnic and gene c diversity 34 .…”

“…Moreover, introduc on of physical training could substan ally improve the work capacity, but inac vity leads to rapid and substan al reduc ons in the ability to sustain heavy work. Prevalence of thinness is frequently associated with nutri onal defi ciencies, menstrual irregularity and ea ng disorders, 43,44 and adverse reproduc ve outcomes 1,6 among adolescent girls and young women. Studies have also confi rmed that undernutri on (e.g., CED or thinness) among young women of childbearing age is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as intrauterine growth-restricted or low-birth weight infants in Indian popula ons 1,45,46 .…”

“…The prevalence is very high due to immense popula on size, socioeconomic dispari es, illiteracy and inadequate access to healthcare facili es in India 1,2,3,4,5 . Undernutri on con nues to be the principal cause of ill-health condi on and premature mortality and morbidity in developing countries 3 .…”