National Nutrition Strategy

NITI Aayog has released the National Nutrition Strategy. The strategy seeks to bring nutrition into the national development agenda and to deal with problem of nutrition in a comprehensive manner.

  • Vision: The vision of the National Nutrition Strategy is to achieve Kuposhan Mukt Bharat (India free from malnutrition) by 2022.
  • Focus: The focus is on preventing and reducing under-nutrition across the life cycle- as early as possible, especially in the first three years of life.
  • Goals: The National Nutrition Strategy seeks to contribute to key national development goals for more inclusive growth, such as the reduction of maternal, infant and young child mortality, through its focus on the following three monitorable targets-
    • Reduction in percentage age of underweight children below 5 years from the present 35.7% to 20.7% by 2022.
    • Reduction in prevalence of anaemia in children (6-59 months) from the present 58.4% to 19.5% by 2022.
    • Reduction in prevalence of anaemia in women and girls (15-49 years) from the present 53.1% to
    • 17.7% 2022.

Nutrition Status in India (NFHS-3&4)

  • In 2015-16, the percentage of stunted children under 5 was 38.4%.
  • Between 2005-06 and 2015-16, there has been a rise in the percentage of children who are wasted from 19.8% to 21%. High incidence of wasting was recorded in Punjab, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Sikkim.
  • While the prevalence of underweight children was 38% in rural areas, it is 29% in urban areas.
  • According to WHO, infants weighing less than 2.5 Kg are 20 times more likely to die than heavier babies.
  • The national average weight at birth is less than 2.5 Kg for 19% of the children.
  • As per an estimate, around 58% of children in India are anaemic. It is due to nutritional deficiency of vitamins, iron and other essential minerals.

In a longer term perspective, the strategy will also aim to progressively reduce all forms of under nutrition by 2030.

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