India Tackles Micronutrient Gaps: A Gendered Fight

India has significantly improved nutrition security by addressing calorie gaps, yet micronutrient deficiencies, or hidden hunger, remain a major challenge across the nation. These deficiencies are critical to achieving global health goals and are a priority under national nutrition strategies. A large proportion of women and adolescent girls lack awareness of hidden hunger and its health implications, with symptoms like fatigue often going unnoticed.

Anemia is a widespread micronutrient deficiency in India, affecting over half of women aged 15-49, according to NFHS-5 data. This poses significant risks during pregnancy and contributes to poor health outcomes for newborns, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. The Anaemia Mukt Bharat initiative aims to combat this through a targeted strategy.

The burden of hidden hunger extends beyond iron to deficiencies in calcium, folate, iodine, and Vitamin B12. Women and girls are disproportionately affected due to gender norms that normalize eating last and least, and limited access to diverse foods and healthcare services. Addressing these require gender-transformative approaches that challenge social norms and empower women.

Effective interventions must be gender-responsive, recognizing women's unique nutritional needs and barriers to accessing services. Integrating gender-transformative approaches into health programs, engaging men as partners, and fostering multisectoral convergence are crucial. Sustainable nutrition outcomes also depend on improving dietary practices and utilizing food fortification as a complementary strategy.