Is the problem of malnutrition being addressed in Mysuru? It seems so, as the number of children with nutritional deficiencies from Mysuru district has declined.
During the launch of seven nutritional products developed by the CSIR-CFTRI for combating malnutrition in pre-school children here on Wednesday, Deputy Director of Women and Child Development Radha said the number of malnourished children last year was 850. Thanks to various interventions, the number had come down to 416 children, she disclosed.
According to CFTRI, pre-school children are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and its consequences. Paucity of a balanced diet causes impaired physical and cognitive development and reduced overall growth.
Poor immunity
Under-nutrition causes poor immunity which in turn causes infection and the presence of infections further aggravates the condition. A viable solution demands the use of locally available and low-cost foods that have superior nutrition quality.
Under the ‘S’ and ‘T’ interventions to combat nutrition in women and children in the CSIR’s XII five-year plan, CFTRI developed products which complement the existing Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) feeding solution via Anganwadis. The products had been developed with advanced nutritional value and are delicious and easy to use. The products include rice mix, high protein rusk, energy food, nutri chikki with Spirulina, nutri sprinkle, sesame paste and fortified mango bar.
The products are comprehensive in nutrition profile with requisite macro and micronutrients for pre-school children.
Nutrition study
CSIR-CFTRI had organised a two-day training programme for representatives from the Department of Women and Child Development. It collaborated the planning and execution of the nutrition intervention study with the national coordinator for the project and the State officials of Karnataka. The initial study has been done with pre-school children suffering from malnutrition at Nanjangud taluk. CSIR-CFTRI , the department and the Government of Karnataka had identified 13 anganwadis at Nanjangud having over 250 children to be part of the project.
The study had encompassed surveys exploring family background details and health status of children using diagnostic tools. Awareness programmes for empowering anganwadi workers and children on general hygiene and sanitation practices had been disseminated.
The selected high nutritive value foods developed by CSIR-CFTRI have been produced in bulk and will be distributed to children part of the study as a continuation of the programme.
The impact of the programme on the health of the children will be assessed at the end of a six-month feeding trial. The study had been approved by the relevant research ethical committee for its safety and efficacy, according to a release here.
