MUMBAI: A recent study highlights a concerning trend in Maharashtra, where over 80% of children aged six to 23 months are found to have poor dietary diversity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). This research comes amidst alarming statistics that indicate one in four children in the state is malnourished.
According to WHO guidelines, children in this age group should achieve Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) by consuming at least five out of eight essential food groups. However, the study published in The National Medical Journal of India, affiliated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, reveals that more than three-quarters of Indian children are categorized as Minimum Dietary Diversity Failures (MDDF).
Notably, the study indicates a slight improvement in dietary diversity, with the percentage of MDDF children decreasing from 87% in the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) to 77% in the NFHS-5 conducted between 2019 and 2021. Maharashtra, along with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, exhibits a high MDDF rate exceeding 80%. Conversely, only 95 out of India’s 707 districts, primarily in the south, east, and northeast regions, reported lower rates of dietary failure at 60% or below.
The research indicates that dietary failure is more prevalent among female children, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and those not receiving food from anganwadi centers. Additionally, children born to younger mothers are also at increased risk.
Dietary diversity is crucial for preventing micronutrient deficiencies that affect development and growth. Inadequate nutrition can lead to delays in motor and cognitive development, poor learning capabilities, low immunity, and higher vulnerability to infections.
According to NFHS-5 data, one in three children in India is underweight and stunted, while one in five is wasted. Dr. Abhay Shukla from Jan Swasthya Abhiyan noted that Maharashtra has the highest rates of “wasting” (over 25%) and “severe wasting” (over 10%) in the country, putting these children at significant risk of mortality due to infections.
