Undernutrition and obesity challenges in India

The double burden of malnutrition continues to pose a serious challenge in India. The double burden…

The double burden of malnutrition continues to pose a serious challenge in India. The double burden is characterised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the coexistence of undernutrition along with overweight and obesity, or diet-related noncommunicable diseases, within individuals, households and populations, across the life-course. On a global scale, over 88% of countries have overlapping burdens, meaning that 124 countries face more than one form of malnutrition.

In India, while undernutrition remains a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, problems relating to overnutrition are becoming increasingly prominent. The rise in prevalence of obesity and overweight has been described by some as a ‘silent epidemic.’ Last year’s Global Nutrition Report featured many alarming statistics on obesity and overweight that should be a cause for concern. Two per cent of children under-five in India, for example, are currently overweight, and a staggering 21 per cent of women and 19 per cent of men are overweight or obese.

The health risks associated with being obese or overweight can be severe, both are associated with high rates of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic renal failure. The rise in levels of obesity and overweight in India have been attributed to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation in India, which has consequently led to the wider availability of processed and fast food; food which is often energy-dense and nutrient-poor.

Harvard School of Public Health remarks that urban centres typically host more multinational supermarkets and large fast-food chains which offer inhabitants easy access to products high in sugar, fat and salt. Densely populated cities like many of the cities across India also have more passive transportation methods which contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle, not to mention more sedentary jobs, which is a strong feature of urban settings. All the above factors, alongside increased exposure to mass marketing of (often processed) food and beverages within cities, have contributed to a shift in diets in urban areas which in turn contributes to higher rates of overnutrition.

As was emphasised in a recent article, the prevalence of undernourishment is a major cause for concern in both urban and rural areas in India. Almost nine in 10 children between the ages of six to 23 months are not receiving an adequate age-appropriate diet. Furthermore, one in three children under five years old are underweight.

Last year’s aforementioned report also highlighted other areas that require immediate attention; India is worryingly home to the largest number of stunted (46.6 million) and wasted (25.5 million) children in the world. Anaemia is also an issue affecting people in both urban and rural centres, around 70% of adolescent girls in India are anaemic.

Though there has been some progress in tackling these issues, and despite strong economic growth in India in recent years, progress in eradicating undernutrition has been limited and varied. This can be partly attributed to inadequate breastfeeding and lack of appropriate complementary feeding, child health services, food security and dietary quality. Additionally, poor water, sanitation and hygiene can exacerbate levels of undernutrition.

Maternal and child nutrition is particularly important for India to prosper. Optimal infant and young child feeding is widely recognised as one of the most important factors in preventing infant deaths and addressing undernutrition.

Given their scale and reach, food and beverage companies in India have a crucial role to play in making sure everyone has a choice of affordable and healthy products and tackling the double burden of malnutrition once and for all. A study in 2016 showed how large food manufacturers in India can improve their contributions to tackle malnutrition.

The food and beverage market in India is the sixth-largest in the world, with retail contributing 70% of the sales. It has been estimated that by 2020 the India food retail market is set to reach US$894.98 billion; this should be seen as a major opportunity to bring about positive change and tackle the many nutrition challenges India faces. In the coming years, leveraging the power of this market will be vital to make sure consumers who chose to buy and eat packaged and/or processed foods have an option to buy healthy and affordable varieties.