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Published on: February 2, 2017

Millennium development goals and child undernutrition

A K Patwari1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics , Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, and H.A.H.Centenary Hospital , New Delhi, India. akpatwari@gmail.com

Indian Pediatrics
|June 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Child undernutrition in India is not declining fast enough to meet Millennium Development Goals. Reviewing current strategies and adopting innovative, cost-effective measures is crucial for reducing undernutrition in children under five.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health and Nutrition
  • International Development Goals
  • Child Welfare

Background:

  • Reduction of underweight children (under five) is an indicator for Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG 1) targeting poverty and hunger.
  • Despite progress, Southern Asia has a high prevalence of underweight children, and India is projected to miss its 2015 target.
  • Child undernutrition is multifactorial, influenced by food, healthcare access, maternal and child care quality, and hygiene.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the commitment and effectiveness of current strategies for reducing child undernutrition in India.
  • To explore the potential impact of making child undernutrition a direct target (e.g., under MDG 4) rather than an indicator.
  • To advocate for prioritizing nutrition on the development agenda and implementing context-specific, innovative strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the Millennium Development Goals report (2012) and progress towards targets.
  • Review of factors influencing child undernutrition beyond food intake.
  • Conceptual exploration of alternative goal structures for child undernutrition.

Main Results:

  • India is unlikely to meet its 2015 target for reducing underweight children below three years.
  • Current strategies may be insufficient, necessitating a review of their effectiveness.
  • Simple, cost-effective interventions exist for the critical period from conception to two years post-birth.

Conclusions:

  • Urgent re-evaluation of commitment and strategies is needed to combat child undernutrition in India.
  • Elevating nutrition's importance on the development agenda is critical.
  • India should adopt innovative, fast-track nutritional strategies, drawing from international experiences and focusing on the critical early life period.

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