Kerala will launch a national nutrition mission with the specific aims of improving nutrition, preventing obesity, and promoting breastfeeding in the State.
The programme, Sampushta Keralam, will be launched on October 15, World Food Day.
Sampushta Keralam focusses on preventing stunting and malnutrition in children in the 0-6 age group reducing anaemia in children, women, and adolescents. It also aims at reducing the prevalence of low birth weight in infants and promoting breastfeeding. The scheme will be implemented in Wayanad, Kannur, Malappuram, and Kasaragod in the first phase, Minister for Health K.K. Shylaja said here on Tuesday.
Another aim of the mission will be to promote nutrition, and at the same time, prevent obesity. The focus will be on providing the public the right information on food, diet, and nutrition and encouraging the consumption of locally and regionally grown food items.
In the first phase, the 8,534 anganwadis in the pilot districts will be the beneficiaries of the project. To improve nutrition, the current nutri mix powder being supplied to young children in the anganwadis will be replaced by fortified and flavoured biscuits and cookies.
