Fortifying nutrition

News: The government’s decision to supply fortified rice across the country in phases by 2024 is a welcome move to address malnutrition.

At present, fortified rice is being supplied through the Targeted public Distribution System (TPDS) in one district each of 11 states under a pilot project running since 2019.

Why fortification is essential?

Hunger and starvation deaths have come down, but undernourishment and imbalanced nutrition are still rampant and in fact growing.

As per the National Family Health Survey -5,

– the proportion of anaemic women in the 15-49 age group has gone up from 53% in 2015-16 to 57% in 2019-20.

– Under-five children suffering from the deficiency of iron and other essential nutrients has soared to 67.1% (an annual rise of almost 8 per cent during this period).

Such nutritional disorders affect the physical and mental growth of children, resulting in a high incidence of “stunting” (short height) and “wasting” (low weight).

Global Hunger Index 2021 ranked India 101st among 116 countries, placing it below its smaller neighbours like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

What are the potential benefits of the supply of the iron-fortified rice?

The scheme, to supply iron-fortified rice, is expected to reduce stunting and wasting among kids by 2 per cent and anaemia in teenage girls and pregnant women by 9 per cent a year.

Officials claim the scheme would help save about Rs 50,000 crore in health care expenses.

What are the concerns regarding the fortification scheme?

Nutrition experts are doubtful about the effectiveness of fortified rice in meeting the desired goal of eradicating anaemia and undernourishment.

– Their scepticism relates to absorption of iron in the human body.

– This vital nutrient, needed for growth and development, requires various other minerals and vitamins for its absorption in the blood to produce haemoglobin. The problem with most of the ongoing nutrition-oriented government programmes is that they are focused primarily on filling the bellies rather than providing wholesome and nourishing food.

What is the way forward?

Nutritionists of the Indian Council of Medical Research, as also of the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition, believe that diversity in food intake holds the key to meet the requirement of micronutrients.

– This can be ensured by including in the diets readily available and more nutritious foods like coarse cereals and millets, such as bajra (pearl millet), jowar (sorghum), and ragi (finger millet), besides pulses, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruits.

Further, India’s agricultural research network is developing inherently nutrient-rich bio-fortified varieties of various food crops by tweaking their genetic structure through conventional and modern plant-breeding techniques.

– The inclusion of these nutrition-enhanced grains in the food programmes would be the most practical and cost-effective means to alleviate malnutrition.

Source: This post is based on the article “Fortifying nutrition” published in the Business Standard on 14th Apr 22.