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Date: January 20, 2024
A comprehensive study conducted by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has revealed distressing findings about the nutritional status of children under the age of 5 in India. The study, based on the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS, 2018), indicates that six out of 10 children in this age group suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, with 4 in 10 experiencing anaemia.
The research, aiming to estimate the prevalence of anaemia and anaemia with micronutrient deficiencies (iron/vitamin B12/folic acid) among children aged 12-59 months, included a total of 11,237 children. The results showed that 40.5% of the children were anaemic, 30.0% had anaemia with micronutrient deficiencies, and a staggering 60.9% had micronutrient deficiencies with or without anaemia.
The study identified several determinants associated with anaemia in children, including the lower educational status of mothers (mothers without formal schooling), consumption of fewer than 100 iron-folic acid tablets during pregnancy, and deficiencies in iron and zinc. Children from scheduled tribes and those following unsafe child faeces disposal practices were found to have a higher likelihood of micronutrient deficiency among anaemic children.
Kapil Yadav, from the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “Micronutrient deficiencies, antenatal IFA intake, safe hygiene practices need to be strengthened to leave no stone unturned in the control of anaemia among under-five children in India.”
Globally, anaemia is a significant public health concern affecting 1.62 billion people. In India, the Global Burden of Disease 2017 estimates that around 45% of the population is anaemic. The National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS 5: 2019-21) reported a high burden of anaemia in under-five age groups in India, with an estimated prevalence of 67.1%.
The World Health Organization classifies anaemia as a severe public health problem when the prevalence exceeds 40% in a country. The researchers stressed that the high prevalence of anaemia among Indian children aged 12 to 59 months is a serious public health issue and calls for immediate action.
Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation, a key strategy for anaemia control among under-five children, is a focal point of the government’s Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) initiative. The researchers emphasized the importance of implementing AMB intervention strategies across all states in India and reaching every corner to combat this critical public health challenge. They also highlighted the need for interventions starting from infancy to address the issue in a timely manner.
