Of all Indian children under five, one in three (35.7 per cent) is underweight (low weight for age), one in three (38.4 per cent) is stunted (low height for age); and one in five (21 per cent) is wasted (low weight for height).
India alone represents 23.1% of the total achievement gap on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
If India eradicates undernourishment (currently 14.8% of the Indian population), the world will be 25.2% closer to having achieved the SDG target on undernourishment.
3,000 children die every day from poor diet-related illnesses
A common cause across all forms of malnutrition is a suboptimal diet.
One possible and feasible intervention that can tide over this situation is inclusion of milk in the feeding programmes for children
children under the age of five, about one in three (36%) is underweight (low weight for age), about one in three (38%) is stunted (low height for age), one in five (21%) is wasted(low weight for height),and only every second child exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
Children are the foundation of a vibrant country like India.
Despite efforts to improve the nutritional status, malnutrition continues to be a major health concern in our country.
It is still the major cause of morbidity and mortality in children.