Getting Nutrition Back On The School High Table

Newspaper Rainbow Series     1st November 2021     Save    

Context: Society must focus on the nutrition of children to ensure they are armed with good immunity to tackle new challenges after COVID-19.

Nutritional challenges faced before India

  • Triple burden of under-nutrition and overweight/obesity coexisting with deficiencies of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium and several vitamins.
  • Compromised immune function, due to malnutrition, which becomes critical during pandemic times. Eg. Immunity challenge among children.
  • Lack of diet diversity leading to imbalanced micronutrient intake or consumption of high carbohydrate and high sugar foods, endangering child’s health and making them vulnerable to infection.
  • Negative effect on diet quality due to disruptive social environment factors as restricted movement, constrained socialisation and new normal of dwindling physical contact.
  • Indulgence of urban and affluent groups in frequent munching of high-calorie snacks and sweetened beverages that are devoid of beneficial nutrients.
     

Policy Response: Noon meal scheme i.e. Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (PM POSHAN)

  • PM POSHAN covers students of pre-primary levels or Bal Vatikas of government and government-aided primary schools along with primary and upper primary school children who are already within the ambit of the mid-day meal programme.
  • Diet support: It envisages providing 450 Kcal energy and 12g of protein for primary; 700 Kcal and 20g protein for upper primary children through diet diversity and focus on nutri-gardens.
  • Monitoring mechanism: Provision of monitoring haemoglobin levels of schoolchildren, appointment of nutritional experts to ensure haemoglobin.
  • Special provisions for nutritional items for children in districts with high prevalence of anaemia.
  • Involvement of farmer producer organisations and self-help group women will strengthen linkages and convergence for promoting children’s nutrition.

Way forward: Change in approach towards nutrition needs

  • To combat hidden hunger, affordable, accessible and diverse food sources must be made available across India.
  • Focus on healthy lifestyles like maintaining ideal body weight, regular physical activity, adequate water intake along with adequate sleep and low screen time.
  • Schools should be avenues for teaching good nutrition, safe food, and positive lifestyles, as a life skill.