Sat Jan 04 16:30:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Stagnant Nutrition Progress: A Call for New Strategies

**Bengaluru/New Delhi, January 4, 2025** – A new analysis published in *The Lancet* reveals alarmingly slow progress towards achieving Global Nutrition Targets (GNTs) in India and worldwide. While the GNTs aimed to significantly reduce malnutrition by 2030, projections suggest few countries will meet targets for stunting, and none will meet those for low birthweight, anemia, and childhood overweight.

Experts Prof. Anura Kurpad (St John’s Medical College, Bengaluru) and Dr. Harshpal Singh Sachdev (Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, New Delhi) highlight several critical issues hindering progress in India. The prevalence of anemia, for example, has remained static for two decades. Current strategies focusing on iron deficiency alone are insufficient, as research indicates other nutritional deficiencies play a significant role. Furthermore, inconsistent measurement methods and diagnostic cut-offs confound accurate assessment and effective intervention.

The issue of stunting, which disproportionately affects children under two, demands a preventative approach, focusing on adequate energy intake during this crucial growth period. The report highlights the worryingly low fat intake among poor children, but encouragingly notes that new POSHAN guidelines now include oil in take-home rations.

While undernutrition remains a major concern, the study also reveals a hidden burden of childhood overnutrition, with metabolic risks affecting a significant portion of children aged 5-19 years, even those who are stunted or underweight. This necessitates a dual approach, simultaneously addressing both under- and over-nutrition to prevent the development of non-communicable diseases.

The authors emphasize the urgent need for a paradigm shift in nutritional policy. Simply increasing food intake is insufficient, and more precise strategies are needed to address the multifaceted nature of malnutrition in India. A renewed focus on diverse diets, accurate measurement, and prevention during the critical first two years of life is crucial for achieving meaningful progress towards the GNTs.

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