Global Nutrition Targets (GNTs):
Set by the World Health Assembly to evaluate public health policies on maternal and child malnutrition.
Key targets include:
40% reduction in stunting among under-5 children.
50% reduction in anaemia in women of reproductive age.
No increase in childhood overweight prevalence.
Evaluation Findings (2012-2021):
Published in The Lancet, analyzing progress across 204 countries with projections to 2050.
Findings indicate slow and insufficient progress, with few countries projected to meet stunting targets by 2030.
None are expected to meet targets for:
Low birthweight.
Anaemia.
Childhood overweight.
Key Challenges and Issues:
Anaemia:
India's anaemia prevalence has remained static for two decades.
Presumed iron deficiency led to policies promoting dietary iron intake through fortification and supplementation.
Recent surveys reveal:
Iron deficiency accounts for only one-third of anaemia cases.
A diversified diet may be more effective than focusing solely on specific nutrients.
Measurement issues:
Variations in metrics (venous vs. capillary blood measurements).
Diagnostic cut-offs for anaemia may not fit all populations.
Stunting:
In India, stunting increases sharply from birth (7-8%) to two years (40%).
Overfeeding after two years has unintended consequences, such as increased fat accumulation without addressing stunting.
Prevention in the first two years of life is critical.
Childhood Overweight and Metabolic Overnutrition:
Overweight prevalence has increased globally, though undernutrition remains a larger problem.
Metabolic risk is evident in 50% of Indian children aged 5-19 years, even among those stunted and underweight.
Overnutrition contributes to non-communicable diseases.
Recommendations for Action:
Double-duty actions to address both undernutrition and overnutrition:
Simultaneously tackle malnutrition and prevent metabolic risks.
Promote whole diets rich in various nutrients instead of single-nutrient interventions.
Focus on the first 1,000 days (from conception to two years) to prevent stunting and undernutrition.
Standardized and population-specific measurements for anaemia and stunting.
Ensure take-home rations for children under 3 include energy-dense foods like oil, as outlined in the new POSHAN guidelines.
Implications:
Failure to address both undernutrition and overnutrition could exacerbate the dual burden of malnutrition and related diseases.
Fresh, targeted strategies are essential to prevent repeating the current failures by the next quarter of the century.
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