Chennai: Discrimination in feeding the girl child has been the root cause for the escalating levels of malnutrition among the ‘weaker gender’. While the reasons are mostly social and economical, health experts also attribute it to lack of awareness.
From the time she is an infant, a female child tends to be fed less than her male siblings. “Anemia is very common among female children. In Below Poverty Line families, parents wish to feed their children equally, but due to the lack of sufficient money, tend to lay emphasis on feeding the male child as he would be the one earning for the family,” said Dr. Kanimozhi Somu, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Cloudnine Hospital.
“On the other hand, in affluent families, young girls are pampered and given whatever they demand. Due to continuous indulgence in junk foods, obesity crawls in early,” she added.
Stressing on the need for both male and female children to be fed equally, Dr. Vanitha Shree, a Gynaecologist at Apollo Hospital, said, “Parents need to educated on the importance of equal feeding.”Doctors say that education should start at the school level. “Children should understand the ill effects of being above the Body Mass Index.
Good education needs to be given. We all call women as weaker sex and we do not feed them all the more. They become weaker – mentally and physically. Children should be educated on what to eat and what not to eat. Many young girls have irregular cycles because of their poor eating habits. This has to change and education on the same is the only solution,” stated Dr. Kanimozhi.
