| Introduction: Give a brief contextual introduction. Body: Highlight the link between undernutrition & diabetes and the significance of investing in the health of girls. Conclusion: Way forward |
Global Burden of Disease study in The Lancet focuses on the simultaneous double burden of undernutrition and obesity worldwide highlighting the link between early life undernutrition and the later life prevalence of diabetes and obesity in India.
Link between undernutrition & prevalence of diabetes
- Early Life Undernutrition and Later Health Risks: Research has indicated that people who suffer from undernutrition in their early years of life—such as during infancy and childhood—are more likely to develop metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity in later life. This phenomenon, which is sometimes called the “developmental origins of health and disease,” implies that poor nutrition during periods of critical development may cause physiological adaptations that make people more susceptible to chronic illnesses as adults.
- Diabetes and Obesity Prevalence in India: Undernutrition and rising rates of overweight, obesity, and related non-communicable diseases like diabetes are coexisting in India, which is currently experiencing a dual burden of malnutrition. The Global Burden of Disease study draws attention to the startlingly high frequency of these illnesses, especially in susceptible groups like women and children from low-income families.
Significance of investing in the health of girls
- Empowerment and Education: Investing in teenage girls and young women’s health entails more than just making dietary changes. It entails addressing sociocultural issues that can impair their capacity to make decisions that are in line with their health and well-being, such as gender inequality, restricted access to education, and a lack of autonomy over their own decisions. The development and well-being of communities can be positively impacted by empowering girls and women via education, career training, and access to healthcare resources.
- Intergenerational Effects: The cycle of undernutrition and chronic disease transmission between generations can be broken by improving the nutritional status of adolescent girls and young women. Pregnancy-related malnutrition in the mother can raise the risk of unfavourable birth outcomes, like low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction, which can later put the offspring at risk for metabolic disorders. Future generations’ mother and child health outcomes will be enhanced by reducing the likelihood of these unfavourable outcomes by maintaining optimal nutrition during adolescence and the early stages of adulthood.
- Improved Health Outcomes: Investing in adolescent girls and young women’s health can lead to a healthier adult population with a lower prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and associated complications. This translates to a reduced economic burden on healthcare systems.
Conclusion
Addressing the link between early-life undernutrition and the later-life prevalence of diabetes and obesity in India requires a comprehensive approach that prioritizes the health and well-being of adolescent girls and young women.
