Child nourishment: Disturbing rise in underweight kids

Hyderabad: A study has found that there is a 1.4 percentage points increase in the number of underweight children under the age of two years in the rural areas of the state. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) found that 33.1 per cent of babies under two years were underweight in 2015-16, up from 31.7 per cent in 2012-13. In urban areas, the number of such toddlers is down by 4.9 percentage points — 22.22 per cent in 2015-16 against 27.1 per cent 2012-13. Senior gynaecologist Dr Anagani Manjula, who did a study on underweight children especially in rural areas, said one of the reasons for underweight babies was that mothers were breastfeeding their children for longer than required.

“The infant’s digestion system develops from the sixth month, and mothers should give them alternative food with protein, nutrition and vitamins. Urban mothers are more aware of this,” she said. Senior nutritionist Dr Ushasri Alapati said poverty and lack of awareness on nutritious food among women in rural areas were the other causes. “The government and NGOs should create awareness among rural mothers. Providing nutrition food with proteins and vitamins are the solutions for underweight issue. Pulses, nuts, eggs and chicken will lead to weight gain among these children,” she said. The composite Nizamabad district fared the worst with 38.2 per cent underweight kids below two years of age followed by Adilabad (37.7), Nalgonda (36.1), Medak (35.9), Mahbubnagar (34.8), Warangal (27.6), Karimnagar (26), Khammam (23.1), Ranga Reddy (21.2) and Hyderabad (16.8 per cent).

Rayalaseema, North Andhra Pradesh worst affected 

In AP, nearly 30 per cent of children from rural and urban areas under the age of two were underweight and the numbers were rising. The National Family Health Survey said 31.1 per cent children under two were underweight in rural areas against 29.2 per cent of in 2012-13. In urban areas, from 23.6 per cent in 2012-13 there were 28.4 per cent underweight babies in 2015-16. Children from northern Andhra and Rayalaseema were worst affected. Anantapur topped the list with 38.7 per cent of underweight children under the age of two followed by Vizianagaram (37.8), Kurnool (35.6), Kadapa (34.4), Chittoor (33.6), Visakhapatnam (33.1) and Nellore (31.5 per cent). 

Obesity problem among older kids

The major problem among older children in urban areas is obesity. The National Family Health Survey put the number of such children at 30 per cent by studying their Body Mass Index (BMI) in Telangana. Chief nutritionist from Yashoda Hospital Dr Sujatha Stephen blamed it on stress, eating at odd times and lack of proteins and vitamins in food. “Vitamin and protein deficiency is the main cause behind obesity. From teenagers to the 30-30 age group, the obesity figures is causing danger.” As per the study, 39.5 per cent of women and 31.9 per cent of men in urban areas were obese. This compares with 18.5 per cent of women and 17.9 per cent men in rural areas who were found to be obese.