Malnourishment deaths are often reported from tribal dominated areas of Melghat in Amravati district only, as a few decades ago a local correspondent had provided startling figures from the region attracting attention of the entire health machinery in the country. The issue, however, is not restricted to Melghat. Similar is the situation in remote areas of Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dhule in Maharashtra.
Many villages in these districts are isolated during monsoon. The villagers survive on whatever food they can get in their villages. The health machinery also cannot access these villages to help them.
With the increasing road network the intensity might have reduced, but the problem persists.
The malnourishment in remote villages are often reported by the media, even when the problem in urban areas remains neglected. In urban areas obesity is also a sort of malnourishment, which is above 40 per cent among children and youth against around 13 per cent in rural and remote areas.
Dr Pratima Shastri, a retired professor in Food Technology from Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (now Laxminarayan Innovative Technology University), Nagpur and social worker describes the two factors as undernourishment in rural areas and overnourishment in urban areas.
The problem in both the areas can be called imbalance in nutritional food. In rural area nutritional food is not available, in urban areas it remains neglected although available in abundance. Many government schemes are being implemented to handle the issue, including awareness generation.
In urban areas, obesity is because of changing lifestyles. The easily available ‘ready to eat’ food is available in the market and can be accessed within minutes. These ultra-processed food are rich in calories, but lack micronutrients. This cause imbalance and result in obesity in urban areas. This ready to eat food is costly and often unhealthy.
Dr Shastri is the director of a social organisation for welfare of women and handicapped children. Besides helping handicapped children and women in distress, the organisation prepares ‘Ready Mix’ nutritious food items like Sattu, Ukadpendi, Poha (popular in Maharashtra) etc. These items can be taken home and can be easily made by using boiling water or a little oil to make tasty snack items.
In the recent past ‘Ready Mix’ food items are being marketed. But the basic attention to nutrition through these easily available food items remains the last priority.
The bad effects of this changing food habits and lifestyle can be seen with youths suffering from various health issues. Growing stress due to stiff competition adds to the ill-effects of malnourishment at a younger age.
Health issues related to stomach disorders are very common. These finally result in issues like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, mental disorders etc.
The need to take the issue seriously by youth in urban areas is essential, similar to educating people in remote villages.
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