Malnutrition: A Daunting Problem for India’s Spectacular Growth.

ABSTRACT

In the global campaign of health for all, promotion of proper nutrition was one of the eight elements of primary healthcare. Mother’s literacy has a much higher impact than father’s literacy on better nutritional status of children. Lower socioeconomic condition, higher birth order, lower birth interval and faulty feeding habits have adverse effects on nutritional status of children. Faulty feeding practices are commonly observed and diets of most children are not adequate for calories and proteins as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. Hence, there is a urgent need for the government to strengthen the policies and invest more funds to combat malnutrition among under-five children.