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United News of India
10 hours ago
- Health
- United News of India
28 pc Odisha kids are stunted, 12 pc underweight, reveals Poshan Tracker data
States » East Bhubaneswar, July 23 (UNI) Nearly 28 per cent children under six years of age in Odisha are stunted while 12 per cent are found to be underweight. Similarly 3.21 per cent of children in the 0-5 age group were found to be wasted and 11.63 per cent children underweight, according to Poshan Tracker data for the month of June 2025. Poshan Tracker consists of pregnant women, lactating mothers, children up to 6 years of age and adolescent girls as beneficiaries. It keeps track of intervention to the beneficiaries and their progress is further monitored by Supervisors, CDPOs and DPOs through daily and monthly reports. The levels of underweight and wasting in children as obtained from Poshan Tracker are much less than those projected by NFHS 5, said official sources. As per the World Health Organization's Child Growth Standard, stunting causes irreversible physical and mental damage to children. A stunted child is too short for their age, does not fully develop and stunting reflects chronic under-nutrition during the most critical periods of growth and development in early life, said pediatricians. Similarly, a child is regarded as underweight if they're in the bottom 5th percentile for weight compared to their height. Underweight is not only classified compared to other children their age, but to their height as we clinically look for a child to be proportionate, they said. The child stunting and underweight issues occur to below five years of kids mostly due to malnutrition and lack of unhygienic living conditions, they said adding that nutrient content in food intake could help them recover from these physical deficiencies. UNI XC BM
The Print
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Print
Ministries, depts asked to display oil, sugar content in snacks like samosa, pizza
While the Oil Board mentioned snacks such as French fries, burgers, pizza, samosa, pakodas and vadapav, the Sugar Board included items such as soft drinks, gulab jamun and chocolate pastries. It has also called for printing health messages on all official stationery such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Union health ministry has urged all ministries and departments to instal displays of boards mentioning the sugar and oil content in snacks such as samosa, kachori, pizza, burger, french fries, soft drinks, gulab jamun and vadapav to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity and non-communicable diseases. Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, who chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, on Monday pitched for treating and regulating food items such as pizzas, burgers and doughnuts at par with samosa, jalebis and vadapav for health risks. In the letter written on June 21, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said that India is witnessing a sharp rise in obesity among both adults and children. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), more than one in five adults in the urban areas are overweight or obese. The prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity. According to the Lancet Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 obesity forecasting study published in 2025, the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050, making it a country with the second-highest global burden, she said. Obesity significantly raises the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and certain cancers. It also affects mental health, mobility and quality of life, and imposes a heavy economic burden through increased healthcare costs and productivity losses. Early prevention and health promotion are critical to reversing these trends. In the letter, Srivastava referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to combat obesity through lifestyle changes. 'At the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games in Dehradun on 28 January 2025, the prime minister invoked the Fit India Campaign and urged citizens to adopt active, healthy lifestyles as part of the broader vision of Swastha Bharat. In his Mann Ki Raat, he called for a 10 per cent reduction in oil consumption,' the letter said. In response to this national appeal and as part of the ministry's flagship initiatives under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), it is imperative to promote sustainable behavioural changes at our workplaces. These include reducing excessive consumption of oil and sugar, both of which are key contributors to increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle-related disorders, Srivastava stated. 'We are proposing display of Sugar and Oil Boards initiative to promote healthier dietary habits in various settings. These boards serve as visual behavioural nudges in schools, offices, public institutions etc displaying key information about hidden fats and sugars in everyday foods,' the letter stated. She requested all ministries to issue directions to all departments/ offices/ autonomous bodies and other public institutions/organisations to instal Oil and Sugar Board displays (digital static posters etc) in common areas (cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms and other public spaces) to raise awareness on harmful consumption. She asked them to print health messages on all official stationery (letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, etc) and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. 'Promote healthy meals and physical activity in offices through nutritious, healthier food options (more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat options, and by limiting availability of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks) and active workplace initiatives such encouraging use of stairs, organising short exercise breaks, and facilitating walking routes),' she said. 'These visual cues and practical tips are part of a larger national movement to reduce the burden of NCDs, and your ministry's leadership in this regard can serve as an inspiration for wider behavioural transformation across government systems… Together, let us lead the way in turning the honourable prime minister's vision of a Healthy India into a mass movement, starting right from our workplaces,' she said. The letter also had a few prototypes of the boards as enclosures which it said can be customised according to requirement. PTI PLB KSS KSS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
View India's Gender Gap Report ranking as a warning
India is now a global economic power, a digital innovator, and home to the world's largest youth population. But the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report (2025) is a sobering reminder that when it comes to gender equality, India remains far behind. Structural issues India ranks 131 out of 148 countries, with particularly low scores in economic participation and health and survival — the pillars essential for meaningful gender parity. These are not just social indicators. They are signs of a structural failure holding back national progress. Despite progress in educational attainment, India continues to struggle in ensuring women's health and autonomy. The report shows that India's sex ratio at birth remains among the most skewed in the world, reflecting a persistent son preference. The healthy life expectancy for women is now lower than men's. Such outcomes point to chronic neglect in reproductive health, preventive care and nutrition, especially for women from lower-income and rural backgrounds. Increased Budget allocations for health, especially at the primary care level, are a necessity to improve women's well-being and their access to basic services, such as education and health care. Without good health, economic inclusion becomes impossible. Nearly 57% of Indian women in the 15 to 49 age group are anaemic — as reported by National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 — which reduces their ability to learn, work, or carry pregnancies safely. Such a widespread and correctable issue is emblematic of the broader failure to treat women's health as a national development priority. India ranks 143rd on the Economic Participation and Opportunity subindex. Women continue to earn less than a third of what men do, and female labour force participation remains stubbornly low. The McKinsey Global Institute, in 2015, had projected that closing gender gaps could add $770 billion to India's GDP by 2025. Yet, in 2025, India appears to have lost out on the opportunity. At the current pace of progress, it may take over a century to close the global economic gender gap — and India lags behind even that trajectory. A sidelining This is not just about employment numbers. Women remain busy in informal and subsistence work and are grossly under-represented in decision-making spaces — from boardrooms to budget committees. The result is a policy ecosystem that repeatedly sidelines women's lived realities. The burden of unpaid care work continues to be a major drag on women's time and agency. Indian women perform nearly seven times more unpaid domestic work than men, as highlighted by the Time Use Survey. Yet, this critical labour remains invisible in national accounting and underfunded in public policy. Investing in care infrastructure such as childcare centres, elder care services and maternity benefits would not only ease this burden but also enable millions of women to enter or re-enter the workforce. The vacuum in these services reflects both a gender and an economic blind spot. Central and State governments must begin to account for unpaid care work in their economic and social policy frameworks through time-use surveys, gender budgeting, and direct investment in care infrastructure. India can look to countries such as Uruguay and South Korea, which have begun integrating care economies into their development plans, with positive results. Supporting senior citizens India is at a demographic turning point. While it continues to draw benefits from a young population, its percentage of senior citizens is expected to nearly double by 2050, reaching close to 20% of the population. This demographic shift will predominantly comprise very old women, especially widows, who often experience high dependency. At the same time, fertility rates have already fallen below replacement level, as noted in the NFHS-5. This means that the working-age population will shrink and the care needs of the elderly will rise. The only way to sustain economic growth in this context is to ensure women — half the population — are healthy, supported, and economically active. Gender equality is no longer just a rights issue. It is a demographic and economic necessity. If women continue to exit or be excluded from the workforce, the dependency ratio will rise even faster, placing greater strain on fewer workers and undermining fiscal stability. Reversing this trend demands integrated policies that connect health, labour and social protection. India does not lack frameworks or ambition — the slogans are there. What is required is real investment: in public health systems that prioritise women's needs; in care services that redistribute unpaid work, and in policies that see women not as beneficiaries, but as builders of the economy. The Global Gender Gap Report is not just a ranking. It is a warning: unless India treats gender equality as central to its economic and demographic future, it risks squandering the gains it has worked so hard to achieve. Poonam Muttreja is the Executive Director at Population Foundation of India. Martand Kaushik is Senior Specialist—Media and Communications at Population Foundation of India
Economic Times
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
85% of north-eastern districts in front runner category in North-Eastern Region District SDG Index 2023-24: NITI Aayog
Mizoram's Hnahthial has emerged as the highest-scoring district in the entire Northeast region with a score of 81.43 while Arunachal Pradesh's Longding is the lowest scoring district in the entire region at 58.71 as per the North-Eastern Region District SDG Index for 2023-24. The second edition of the index, released by NITI Aayog, on Monday shows an overall increase in the proportion of districts in the front runner category to 85% from 62% in the last edition. However, not a single district is in the achievers category. 'This signifies the impact of the national flagship schemes coupled with the localisation efforts of the states and saturation of benefits through initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Programme,' the Aayog said in the improvements have been observed in the indicators linked to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in sectors such as access to clean cooking fuel, housing, electricity, sanitation, drinking water, bank accounts, child and maternal health services, schooling and attendance, birth registration, unmet need for family planning, health insurance, among others.'This momentum will be key to closing the gap with the national average in the short and medium term and for states to feature among the top states in the long term,' the Aayog said. In this context, indicator level analysis is crucial for identifying gaps and accelerating progress in the short term and beyond. It would also help in addressing intra-regional and inter-district disparities to ensure that performance is in line with or above the national index, developed by the Aayog collaboratively with the ministry of development of north eastern region, state governments of the north eastern region and UNDP India, covers 15 SDGs and ranks 121 of 131 districts of the region compared to 105 districts compared in the previous edition released in per the index, Nagaland exhibited the widest range (15.07 points between its highest and lowest performing districts) indicating the significant intra-state disparity while Sikkim has the narrowest range (5.5 points), showing the most consistent performance across its the other hand, Tripura has the distinction of having some of the highest-scoring districts with minimum intra-state disparities (6.5 points) while Mizoram and Nagaland have some of the highest-scoring districts but also show significant intra-state variation (ranges of 13.72 and 15.07, respectively).With less than five years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expediting focused efforts to ensure inclusive development for all is imperative, the Aayog cautioned. As per the report, the Aayog proposes to institutionalise SDGs in the north-eastern states through the whole of government approach, investment in data infrastructure and capacities, integrating SDG targets into government budget and recognising the role of partnership, including South-South cooperation as a key strategy to accelerate SDG progress.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Study links air pollution to preterm births, low birth weight in India
Air pollution, a hazard endured everyday by millions across India in varying degrees, has long been associated with a range of respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and a growing list of health issues. Now, a new study reveals the damaging effects of air pollution extend far beyond the lungs and heart, affecting people before they are even born. Published in PLoS Global Public Health, the study was carried out by researchers from institutions in India, Thailand, Ireland, and the UK, with data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) along with satellite data. The team assessed the influence of ambient air quality on birth outcomes, specifically preterm births (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). The dataset included children aged 0 to 5 years; 52% were female and 48% male. The results suggest that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during pregnancy significantly increases the likelihood of these adverse outcomes. PM2.5 consists of airborne particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. According to the study, mothers exposed to increased levels of PM2.5 had a 70% higher chance of delivering prematurely compared to those who weren't exposed. The odds of giving birth to a baby with low birth weight rose by 40% for mothers who faced higher air pollution levels. Northern states at more risk A particularly significant finding in the study is the regional disparity: specifically, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar bear the brunt of the consequences of air pollution. These regions are known for being heavily industrialised with high vehicular emissions and the widespread use of solid fuels for cooking. This conclusion aligns with previous reports. Another recent study in The Lancet reported that the average PM2.5 concentration in Delhi was 13.8-times higher than that in Kerala. PTB was most prevalent in Himachal Pradesh (39%) and Delhi (17%) while LBW was most common in Punjab (22%) and Delhi (19%). Female children were more likely to be born with LBW (20%) compared to males (17%) — although both conditions were found to be more frequent among children of illiterate and poorer mothers. Households that used solid fuel to cook also reported higher rates of both LBW and PTB. Higher levels of PM2.5 during pregnancy significantly increased the likelihood of both LBW and PTB by 1.37x and 1.67x, respectively, with even a slight rise in temperature linked to an increase in LBW cases, though not PTB. Higher temperatures have previously been linked to maternal dehydration, heat stress, and increased cardiovascular strain, all of which impair placental function and disrupt foetal growth. Conversely, excessive rainfall, especially during the monsoon, raises the risk of waterborne infections, which can further hinder foetal growth, the study suggests. Flooding and displacement associated with heavy rains can also disrupt healthcare access, leading to delayed medical interventions and increasing the likelihood of pregnancy complications. Region-specific interventions The study's findings clarify that while India has made some progress in tackling air pollution with initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme, more needs to be done to mitigate the risks posed by poor air quality. The study's results suggest the government's target to reduce particulate matter concentrations by 20% by 2024 is a step in the right direction, although it may not be enough to address the public health crisis growing in tandem. The authors call for more comprehensive interventions to reduce exposure to air pollution, particularly in North India, which has been identified as the most vulnerable region. In addition to addressing outdoor air pollution, the study highlights the importance of tackling indoor pollution, particularly from the burning of solid fuels in households. Cleaner cooking technologies and better access to clean energy could significantly reduce the harmful effects of indoor air pollution, especially in rural areas. The research also calls for greater integration of air quality data with health surveillance systems to identify at-risk populations and implement targeted interventions. A more localised approach, focusing on the specific needs of high-risk regions, is necessary to mitigate the impacts of air pollution on maternal and child health. Public health initiatives should prioritise the development of climate-resilient healthcare strategies, such as heat action plans and improved water management systems, to protect pregnant women from the dual threats of air pollution and extreme weather events, the study says.
