**7.2 Indian scenario**

India is one among the many countries where child undernutrition is severe and also undernutrition is a major underlying cause of child mortality in India. Pattern of stunting prevalence among Indian districts is shown in **Figure 4**.

The prevalence of underweight children under age 5 was an indicator to measure progress towards MDG 1, which aims to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger between 1990 and 2015. For India, this would imply a reduction in the child underweight rate from 54.8% in 1990 to 27.4% in 2015. Sustainable development

#### **Figure 1.** *Global burden of malnourished under-5 children [8].*

In the 2018 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries [12]. With a score of 31.1, India suffers from a level of hunger that is serious. **Figure 6** depicts dimensions and indicators of Hunger index and its relationship

*Trends in various nutritional indicator values and U5 mortality rate from 2000 to 2018 (India).*

*Pattern of stunting prevalence among Indian districts (source: Menon et al. 2018).*

with child malnutrition.

**Figure 5.**

**15**

**Figure 4.**

*Childhood Malnutrition in India*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89701*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Trends in global burden of malnourished under-5 children [8].*

#### **Figure 3.**

Goals (SDG) 2 focuses on end hunger, achieves food security and improves nutrition and promotes sustainable agriculture. By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons and indicators are primarily prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight among children under 5 years of age. In a recently released Global Nutrition Report 2018, revealed the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight at national level as 37.9, 20.8 and 2.4% respectively [10].

In India as per National Family Health Survey IV (2014–2015, recent in the series) 38.4, 21 and 35.7% of children below 5 years suffer from stunting, wasting and underweight respectively (corresponding figure for NFHS III, 2005–2006 were 47.9, 19.8 and 42.5% respectively). Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in India is 7.5% [11]. Trends in various nutritional indicator values and U5 mortality rate from 2000 to 2018 (India) are shown in **Figure 5**.

*Comparison of burden of malnourished under-5 Asian and African children [8].*

**Figure 4.** *Pattern of stunting prevalence among Indian districts (source: Menon et al. 2018).*

#### **Figure 5.**

Goals (SDG) 2 focuses on end hunger, achieves food security and improves nutrition and promotes sustainable agriculture. By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons and indicators are primarily prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight among children under 5 years of age. In a recently released Global Nutrition Report 2018, revealed the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight at national level as 37.9, 20.8 and 2.4%

*Comparison of burden of malnourished under-5 Asian and African children [8].*

*Trends in global burden of malnourished under-5 children [8].*

*Perspective of Recent Advances in Acute Diarrhea*

In India as per National Family Health Survey IV (2014–2015, recent in the series) 38.4, 21 and 35.7% of children below 5 years suffer from stunting, wasting and underweight respectively (corresponding figure for NFHS III, 2005–2006 were 47.9, 19.8 and 42.5% respectively). Prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in India is 7.5% [11]. Trends in various nutritional indicator values and U5 mortality

rate from 2000 to 2018 (India) are shown in **Figure 5**.

respectively [10].

**14**

**Figure 3.**

**Figure 2.**

*Trends in various nutritional indicator values and U5 mortality rate from 2000 to 2018 (India).*

In the 2018 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries [12]. With a score of 31.1, India suffers from a level of hunger that is serious. **Figure 6** depicts dimensions and indicators of Hunger index and its relationship with child malnutrition.

other hand, approximately 22% of the Indian population live below the poverty line. Rural population, a major chunk (especially agriculturists) is mostly dependent on rains for their income. They always live in a state of uncertainty of income. Apart of income, illiteracy plays a crucial role. Most of the people are not aware about their health, nutrition, balanced diet and breastfeeding practices. Without these, effec-

India ranked 97 among a list of 118 countries on hunger as per Global Hunger Index (GHI). It concludes that Indian population does not have access to sufficient and nutritious food. National Food Security Act is a great step in the direction of ensuring greater access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable cost via Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS). Desired outcomes were not achieved due to corruption in PDS [17]. Wastage of food grains (theft, rotting) in Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouses has also dented the access of food to common man. Greater efforts are needed to strengthen the existing initiatives to make

State of maternal health illiteracy is an important determinant of child nutritional status. The type of care a mother provides to her child depends to a large extent on her knowledge and understanding of some aspects of basic nutrition and

Millions of beneficiaries have benefitted by ICDS Scheme however, problems are being observed in ensuring supply of quality food, and its uniform distribution. Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHS) at Anganwadi centres are often dissatisfied by low wages. Thus they fail to play an effective role in

Dibrugarh, Assam: two organizations have brought charges of rampant corruption in the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) amounting to more than Rs. 37 lakh in Panitola ICDS project of the district. While the officer-in-charge of the ICDS project in Panitola development block has drawn the money for 2007– 2008 through two cheques (Nos. 107,895 and 017896) from UCO Bank, Dibrugarh after collecting the cheque from the district social welfare department, All India Youth Federation and All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan unearthed through Right to Information (RTI) Act that the money has not been utilized till date. Suspecting misuse of the allotted money, the two organizations have demanded that the district administration institute an enquiry into the anomaly immediately. They have also demanded exemplary punishment on the erring officials (source: The

Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition committee (VHSNC), one of the key elements of the National Rural Health Mission are non-functional in many of the states due to lack of funds. Similarly, Village Child Development Centres (VCDCs) were set up by state government of Maharashtra to provide malnourished children with medical care and nutritious meals. These centres are mostly non-functional

In Nigoha, the hot food scheme has stopped functioning due to lack of funds. The condition of Rampura AWC is also the same. The centre does not open on regular basis. The AWH, Sarvesh Kumari, distributes toffees instead of proper nutritional food to the limited number of children who come to the centre. Villagers are not even aware of the facilities provided to them by the AWC. Community

tive nutrition communication campaign cannot succeed in their purpose.

them as corruption free and efficient institutions to get better results.

health care [18].

*Childhood Malnutrition in India*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89701*

tackling the problem of malnutrition.

**8.1 Scam in ICDS project unearthed**

Assam Tribune, 12 May 2008).

due to lack of funds [19].

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**8.2 Toffees in the name of nutritious food**

**Figure 6.** *Diagrammatic representation of child undernutrition with Hunger Index.*
