Almost 47% of Indian children under 5 years of age are underweight.This high percentage matches with that of the nations like Nepal, Srilanka, Bangladesh and even African countries.These are really alarming numbers and need to be addressed more seriously by the government and the common people.
The primary reasons according to me are (I) The population (II) The level of education and awareness (III) The state of women (IV) Gender bias (V) Poverty (VI) Infectious diseases.
The huge population of course plays a vital role in this regard.Population is a subject of which the perception varies with the viewpoint of the observer. To the demographer it is an exercise in statistics, to the politician a matter of votes, to the economist it is dissipation of wealth, to the bureaucrat a problem of feeding, clothing, educating and housing the masses and to the industrialist a source of labour.
As we have limited resources and a large number of people to exploit that , not everyone gets equal and required amount of calories intake. This leads to some (actually most) of them undernourished. Such undernourished parents give birth to children who are underweight.
The literacy rate of India is just 68% (even after 63 years of independence). This is when a literate in India is one who knows how to write his/her name!!! Education plays a very important role in the state in which a family member will be, specially their children. People are not educated and hence not aware about the developments in the world around them which leads to negligence towards certain basic things, one of them being proper care and facilities to the children .
The head of a family is the mother (at least for the internal matters of the home). If she is well educated or at least, aware about the proper methods to take care of their children from the time of their birth, the present situation can be tackled effectively. But, today we don't see such condition in every part of the country. Due to a tradition of following the set customs and traditions tend them to ignore proper care for their and their children's health.
Gender bias here refers to the state where a male is given more preference than a female in our Indian society. Generally, we consider a woman to be more responsible (and it is true too) than a male. But, that freedom is not given to the women in our society which creates a lacunae in the health care of the family and ultimately leads to underweight children.
Poverty in India is widespread over all the states. As of 2010, more than 37% of India’s population of 1.35 billion still lives below the poverty line. More than 22% of the entire rural population and 15% of the urban population of India exists in this difficult physical and financial predicament. Rural Indians depend on unpredictable agriculture incomes, while urban Indians rely on jobs that are, at best, scarce. Most families in the villages, far away from the cities are deprived of basic facilities because of lack means and money. They are not capable of getting two meals a day. We have families in some part of the country who live for 3-4 days on just water. When they have nothing other than water to survive how will they take care of their children.
Lack of awareness about the basic health care facilities available also adds to the cause of so many undernourished children in India. Sometimes of a disease leaves its effect for a long time, which leaves its effect for along. There have been several such diseases which have and still continuing to effect the children of India.
These all reasons, cause and its effects must be taken care off so that our economical growth must go hand in hand with a growth in all other fields. Hoping for the best in the coming future.
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