भारत में किशोरियों में पोषण के हाल कैसे हैं और उनमे सुधार कैसे किया जाय

 

Promoting dietary diversity is crucial इम्पोर्टेन्ट  during adolescence, especially among girls, who face more physiological demands 

 adolescence  13 से 17 वर्ष के बीच की अवस्‍था; किशोरावस्था

Multiple studies show that adolescence is a nutritionally demanding phase of life. 

Even though both adolescent boys and girls face emotional changes during puberty, girls face more physiological demands and thus require a higher intake of macro and micro nutrients. 

anaemia  

Susceptibility of adolescent girls to anaemia is 40% compared to boys at 18%.

 dietary habits  

 This is why promoting dietary diversity is crucial during adolescence, as dietary habits are in the formative stage and evidence shows that behaviour imbibed आत्मसात, सोखना, पी लेना during adolescence has a higher chance of being continued in adult life.

 Ensuring appropriate nutrition for adolescent girls is also paramount considering the inter-generational impact it has on combating malnutrition.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5

data (2019-20) show an increase in anaemia among adolescent girls by 5% when compared to NFHS-4. 

The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019

shows that even before the pandemic, consumption of diverse food groups among adolescents was low. 

The fallout of COVID-19 

has further worsened dietary diversity, especially of women, adolescents and children.

 A study by the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition

showed that women’s dietary diversity in India declined by 42% during COVID-19 lockdowns as they consumed fewer fruits, vegetables, and eggs. 

The lockdowns 

also led to the loss of mid-day meals and interruptions in Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) and nutrition education in schools for adolescent girls.

 This was compounded चक्रवृद्धि, मिश्रित, संयुक्त by challenges in providing nutrition services to out-of-school adolescent girls which further increased their vulnerability to poor nutrition outcomes. 

Adolescence is the window of opportunity

where practices of dietary diversity can be built to correct nutritional deficiencies and replenish the body with much-needed nutrients, especially for girls. 

There are a few recommendations that emerge on strengthening the diets of adolescent girls in India

First,diverse diets and physical activities , WIFS 

  along with continued service delivery of WIFS, the government’s health and nutrition policies need to emphasise on strong compliance to diverse diets and physical activities. 

This includes locally sourced fruits and vegetables, seasonal diets, and the inclusion of millets.

 strengthened nutrition counselling for adolescent girls 

• This further needs to be supplemented by strengthened nutrition counselling for adolescent girls through community workers’ home visits, 
• by building a strong ecosystem in schools to promote healthy habits and diets, 
• virtual counselling, 
• and comprehensive nutrition counselling through community-based events and Village Health, 
• Sanitation and Nutrition Days.

Nutri-Smart schools (building kitchen gardens in schools) 

• We need to promote good nutrition among adolescents through Nutri-Smart schools (building kitchen gardens in schools), 

• 
  

• which are already being implemented in some States. 

• 
  

• Such initiatives will increase awareness, improve availability, and accessibility to diverse foods groups.

Second

• delivery platforms

 as service delivery platforms to tap adolescents, we need to also think beyond schools, as the diverse plates are first set at home. 

•  accurate information about adequate and appropriate diets 

Young girls need to be equipped with accurate information about adequate and appropriate diets so that they can act as change agents for their families, community, and peer groups.

•  Further, food diversification

this  is required to be complemented.

 with reformative steps such as the recent amendment of increasing the legal age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21 years.

• सुरक्षा और पोषण दोनों 

 However, for such legislation to have the best impact, it is equally crucial to ensure that girls remain in school or formal education, their safety is ensured, and their health and nutrition are prioritised. Only then can such measures provide opportunities for girls to improve their nutritional and health outcomes.

Micro nutrient deficiencies

Third

the adolescent’s nutritional status is related to the burden of multiple micro nutrient deficiencies. 

Currently, 80% of adolescents suffer ‘hidden hunger’ due to micro nutrient deficiencies. 

The trend is more prevalent in girls as they already suffer multiple nutritional deprivations. 

We need to strengthen our policy initiatives to address deficiencies of not just 

• iron and folic acid, 
• but also vitamin B12,
•  vitamin D, 
• and zinc.

6  Lastly, the POSHAN Abhiyaan (now Mission POSHAN 2.0)

 strongly integrates the aspect of under-nutrition and anaemia among women, girls, and children.

 However, the design needs to be inclusive of the growing risk of non-communicable diseases and obesity among adolescents. 

Given that over 10% of adolescents are overweight in 12 States of India, strict action plans need to be devised against the sale and advertisement of unhealthy foods and beverages.

सोर्स द  हिन्दू