Govts malnutrition remedy: More calories, new formula……Teena Thacker
Noting that family members often eat children’s share, sweet “micronutrient fortified” rations to be given in addition to wheat and rice
Noting that family members often eat children’s share, sweet “micronutrient fortified” rations to be given in addition to wheat and rice
In order to bring down the incidences of malnutrition in the country, the Women and Child Development Ministry has revised nutritional and feeding norms for the supplementary nutrition programme (SNP) in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. To bridge the gap between the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and the average dietary intake (ADI) amongst children aged between six months and three years, food supplements consisting of 500 calories of energy and 12-15 gm of protein are going to be provided under the supplementary nutrition programme (SNP) on a per day per child basis. Earlier, the same age group of children was provided with a food supplement of 300 calories of energy along with 8-10 gm of protein.
The norms for SNP had been fixed since the inception of the scheme in 1975. However, as an official in the ministry said: These calorific norms were not adequately meeting the gap between the RDA and ADI, which meant that the desired impact was not taking place.
The existing pattern of the take-home rations (THR) has also seen a change. The ministry has asked the states that instead of the current practice of only giving either dry or raw rations (wheat and rice) the THR should also be given in the form of sweet micronutrient fortified food, which must not be cooked. According to official surveys, its been often seen that the entire family and not just the child was consuming the THR. It should be checked if the food is exclusively being consumed by the child. The THR, therefore, should be palatable to the child, said the official.
The emphasis this time is on the severely underweight children. The states have been asked to provide food supplements of 800 calories of energy and 20-25 gm of protein in the form of micronutrient fortified food. Earlier, the severely underweight children were provided food supplements of 600 calories of energy and 20 gm of proteins.
The ministry has added changes in the scheme and sent the copy of the document to secretaries of all states and has asked them to comply with it without any further delay.
The states have been recommended to provide food supplement consisting 500 calories of energy and 12-15 gm of protein per child per day at anganwadi centres for children aged between three and six. Since the child of this age group is not capable of consuming 500 calories in one sitting, the states may consider serving more than one meal to the children, the official said.
Following the recent Supreme Court directions, the ministry has asked the states to provide hot cooked meals in the anganwadi centres. However, keeping in view the increasing number of complaints regarding bad quality of food, the ministry has proposed that the states do away with the contractors. Instead, it has asked the states to take help from self-help groups, mothers, mahila mandals to cook food for the children. The government has also revised existing cost norms from Rs 2 to Rs 4 per child.
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govts-malnutrition-remedy-more-calories-new-formula/497253/0