National Nutrition Week 2024

National Nutrition Week (NNW) is an annual observance in India,takingplacefromSeptember 1 to 7.

This week-long event is dedicated to raising awareness about the critical role of nutrition in our lives and promoting healthy eating habits among people of all ages.

• Celebrated in India since 1982
• Initiated in 1982 by the Food and Nutrition Board.
• Objective: Focused on educating people about healthy eating and addressing malnutrition.

National Nutrition Week 2024 Theme

The theme for National Nutrition Week 2024 is ‘Nutritious Diets for Everyone.’ The theme supports the United Nations’ goals for sustainable development.

POSHAN Abhiyaan:

POSHAN Abhiyaan, or the National Nutrition Mission, is a program launched in March 2018 by the Indian government.

The program aims to improve the nutritional status of :

1children aged 0–6,

2pregnant women,

3lactating mothers, and

4adolescent girls.

The program also aims to reduce stunting and wasting in children aged 0–6.

“POSHAN” stands for Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition

Objectives:

1Reduce under-nutrition by 2% annually

2Reduce anaemia by 3% annually

3Reduce low birth weight by 2% annually

Mission Poshan 2.0: Launched for maximizing nutritional outcomes, it subsumes POSHAN Abhiyaan, the Supplementary Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls.

Components: The initiative includes components such as social and behavioral change communication (SBCC) to address malnutrition comprehensively.

Community Engagement: The program emphasizes community-based events, Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada, and Jan Andolan activities to motivate field functionaries and beneficiaries for improved nutrition outcomes.

Training: Over 10 lakh field functionaries, including Anganwadi Workers, have been trained on key aspects of the scheme, with a focus on nutritional counseling.

NFHS-5 (2019-21):

Stunting: 35.5% of children under five years were reported as stunted.

Underweight: 32.1% of children under five years were found to be underweight.

Global Nutrition Report-2021: No Progress: India made no progress in addressing anaemia and childhood wasting.

Childhood Wasting: Over 17% of Indian children under 5 years suffer from childhood wasting.

NFHS-5 Anaemia Data: Anaemia Spike: The data revealed a notable increase in anaemia among children aged 6-59 months, rising from 58.6% (NFHS-4, 2015-16) to 67.1% (NFHS-5, 2019-21).

Human Capital Index (2020): India’s Ranking: Ranked 116 out of 180 countries on the Human Capital Index. Human Capital Definition: The index measures the knowledge, skills, and health accumulated by individuals over their lives, crucial for realizing their potential as productive members of society.

Rashtriya Poshan Maah

The Rashtriya Poshan Maah is observed annually in September under the umbrella of POSHAN Abhiyaan.

This month-long initiative centers around various activities aimed at promoting

1antenatal care,

2optimal breastfeeding,

3addressing anemia,

4monitoring growth,

5advancing girls’ education,

6emphasizing the right age for marriage,

7advocating hygiene and sanitation practices, and

8encouraging the consumption of healthy and fortified foods.

Poshan Vatika

Poshan Vatika refers to a small piece of land cultivated by households to cultivate vegetables, aiming to safeguard family members, especially children and women, from malnutrition.

The primary goal is to secure a nutritional supply through the homegrown, organic cultivation of vegetables and fruits while concurrently maintaining the health of the soil.

The implementation of Poshan Vatikas involves collaborative efforts from various stakeholders. Plantation drives for these nutritional gardens will be conducted in available spaces within anganwadis, school premises, and gram panchayats.

POSHAN 2.0

The government has consolidated various programs with similar objectives, such as the Supplementary Nutrition Programme and POSHAN Abhiyaan, under the unified Mission POSHAN 2.0. This initiative aims to create synergies in operations and adopt an integrated approach within the nutrition services mechanism.