Nutrition Commission to be established to control malnutrition: Health experts

The Humanitarian Organization Action Against Hunger on Thursday organized a workshop on malnutrition ahead of National Nutrition Week (Sep 1 to 7) in the national capital.

Highlighting the affect of women's nutrition on the economy, CEO, The Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security, Dr. Basanta Kar, said, "Several policy reforms are required to tackle the challenge of malnutrition. The country needs a National Food and Nutrition Security Act to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security, food safety, and bio-safety and bio-diversity".

"A Food and Nutrition Commission should be established, headed by the Prime Minister. We need to develop a national policy and multi-sectoral approach to address India's double burden on malnutrition," he added.

Mental Health and Care Practices expert, Shailendra Gujarathi focused on the cause and consequences of under-nutrition and west for its prevention using home-based care practices.

He further said, "dietary issues, poor sanitation and low social status of women are some of the reasons for rising child malnutrition. Such high level of childhood malnutrition imposes a huge economic cost."

Over one million children die in India due to under-nutrition related causes (UNICEF 2016). More than half (58.4 percent) of all children in the country are anaemic (NFHS4) and nearly 40 percent are either stunted or underweight.