HIdden hunger: the spectre of micronutrient deficincy

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Micronutrient deficiency or ‘hidden hunger’ as it has aptly been called is a problem that looms large and will almost certainly overwhelm us if it remains unaddressed. Bringing about simple changes of diversification and fortification in the dietary pattern and lifestyle modification can help radically improve the current scenario. Effective implementation of these strategies is both the challenge and the need of the hour.

Malnourishment is clinically evident in famished children residing in poor rural areas, but in urban setting there is a “hidden hunger”. We may think that children are eating healthy but they may not be consuming the required amount of vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, which may cause deficiency of micronutrients (nutrients required for life in small quantities).

DISTURBING STATISTICS:
According to National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau of India, over 50% of apparently healthy looking children have sub clinical and biochemical deficiencies of micronutrients (like Vit A, B2, B12, vit C, iron, trace minerals like iodine, zinc, etc). Various studies like one conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition in schoolchildren aged 6–16 years have demonstrated sub clinical micronutrient deficiencies (inadequacy of about 66% for vitamins B2 and B6, 60% for vitamin C and 33 – 55% for vitamin A and iron) even among apparently healthy school age children.

ANTECEDENTS OF HIDDEN HUNGER
One of the reasons may be that the children eat a limited portion or variety of food items, also referred to as Picky eating. In addition to this factors like frequent childhood infections may further restrict optimal food intake for meeting nutrient requirement. Inappropriate eating practices, cooking patterns and lifestyle further compound this nutritional insult.

The fat and cholesterol content of the food we consume is much higher than that of essential micronutrients. This can be attributed to the lack of a balanced diet.

Micronutrient deficiency threatens the health of not just children, but it spreads out across all age groups. The elderly population, pregnant women, diseased patient and people suffering from life style diseases like diabetes are more vulnerable to micronutrient deficiency.

COMBATING THE MENACE
Improved dietary intake or inclusion of micronutrient rich or fortified foods may help in meeting nutritional (micronutrient) requirements. In accordance with the RDAs, the daily balanced diet of an individual should include adequate amounts of Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins and Minerals. Two food based strategies viz. diversifying diets and fortification of certain commonly consumed foods can dramatically improve the present condition. Packed foods and supplements can be useful to fortify the diet, provided they are used judiciously.

Horlicks Nutrition Academy promises to play a significant role in helping the cause of overcoming micronutrient deficiencies amongst Indians. One of the main aims of the Academy is to employ ‘research and innovation’ as a tool in the furtherance of this objective and it also seeks to empower people to make better choices ‘nutrition – wise’ by providing nutritional options to categories of people with specific nutritional needs.

Micronutrient deficiency or ‘hidden hunger’ as it has aptly been called is a problem that looms large and will almost certainly overwhelm us if it remains unaddressed. Bringing about simple changes of diversification and fortification in the dietary pattern and lifestyle modification can help radically improve the current scenario. Effective implementation of these strategies is both the challenge and the need of the hour.