India, home to over 142 crore people and the most populous country in the world, severely suffers from malnutrition among all age groups, primarily due to a lack of adequate nutrients in their diets. Around 7.7%, or 43 lakh children suffer from malnutrition, where every second adolescent in the country is either too short, too thin, or obese/overweight.
Adolescents in India face micronutrient deficiencies of iron, folate, vitamins, and zinc, with one in two adolescents experiencing these issues. However, malnutrition can be prevented through raising awareness about nutrition, hygiene, and a balanced diet.Malnutrition rates are high in Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Assam, with northeastern states often overlooked.
The lack of proper data on adolescent healthcare and nutrition hinders promoting nutrition and eliminating malnutrition among youth. The Nourishing Schools Foundation aims to raise awareness of nutrition among 4th to 9th grade students using data-driven models to understand challenges in providing nutrition to adolescents Ms. Archana Sinha, Co-founder and CEO, of Nourishing Schools Foundation said, “Schoolchildren belonging to the tea garden workers’ community were also enabled to be self-aware and reverse malnutrition by engaging with our Nourishing Schools toolkits as a part of various school subjects.”