Vitamin A deficiency affects 57% of children ages 6 to 59 months, iodine deficiency effects 33% of the population, and iron deficiency ranges from 78.5% of children 6 to 35 months to 57.9% of pregnant women. Micronutrients are one of the most fundamental components of a healthy and a well-nourished society and must become a central pillar of our efforts. .
Affected Population .
Children between the ages of 0 and 2 years are among the most vulnerable because this growth period constitutes the vital window during which irreversible nutritional damage occurs. The health of pregnant or lactating women and their children are inextricably linked. Thus children whose mothers are uneducated and undernourished themselves are more likely to experience complications due to undernutrition. Under nutrition is more pronounced in rural areas (with an underweight prevalence of 50%) than in urban ones (with an underweight prevalence of 38%). The states most affected by inadequate nutrition in India are Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Finally, children from scheduled tribes and castes, which fall in the lowest wealth quintile, suffer from the highest rate of under nutrition across the board ranging from 53.2% to 56.2%. 6.
Risk Factors.
Risk factors include a lack of education, low socioeconomic status, limited access to nutritious food and inappropriate feeding practices (especially regarding breast-feeding), inadequate health services, and infection. These issues are exacerbated in the first 2 to 3 years of life. Additionally, a mother's education is an important indicator of her child's health. For instance, the prevalence of severe underweight is 5 times higher in children with uneducated mothers than those with educated mothers. Food security, and access to nutritious food in particular, is also major risk factor that varies from rural to urban areas. Populations living in rural areas have less access to a diverse and reliable food supply.
