News: India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative has released a report titled Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017.
Facts:
About India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative:
- It is a joint initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India, and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- The initiative was launched in 2015.
Key takeaways from Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017:
- The death rate due to malnutrition in children under five years of age in India has dropped by two-thirds between 1990 and 2017. However, it accounts for 68% of deaths in children of the age group.
- Bihar and Assam have the highest malnutrition levels in the country.
- Among the malnutrition indicators, low birth weight is the biggest contributor to disease burden followed by child growth failure which includes stunting, underweight and wasting.
- Disease burden rate, attributable to malnutrition in children, varies seven-fold between the states. States like Rajasthan, UP, Bihar and Assam top the list while Kerala and Tamil Nadu have the lowest disease burden.
- India will miss Poshan Abhiyan target for stunting levels by 9.6%; underweight target by 4.8%; desired low birth level by 8.9%; anaemia level among women by 13.8%; and anaemia level among children by 11.7%.
Additional Information:
POSHAN Abhiyan (National Nutrition mission)
- It was launched in 2018 and is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child development.
- The mission aims to ensure attainment of malnutrition free India by 2022. It seeks to ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers and children.
- It targets to reduce stunting, under- nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. It would strive to achieve reduction in Stunting from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022
Note: Stunting- low height for age, Wasting- low weight compared to height, Underweight- low weight for age. Malnutrition includes both under and over nutrition.
