BENGALURU: Over 1.3 lakh children aged below five in Karnataka are malnourished. Of them, 11,674 have been classified as ‘severely acute malnourished’ (SAM), according to data from the Department of Women and Child Development.
This issue is compounded by a Rs 300-crore cut in the 2024 budget for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme, which supports nutrition initiatives. Currently, over 32.91 lakh children aged below five are associated with 65,911 anganwadi centres in Karnataka.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) explains SAM as a condition where a child has an extremely low weight compared to their height.
This means, their weight falls below three standard deviations from what is considered normal.
SAM is noticeable through severe underweight, where the child looks extremely thin, or through nutritional oedema, which causes swelling due to poor nutrition. Children with SAM face a much higher risk of death - about nine times more than healthy children - because their immune system becomes very weak, making it harder to fight illnesses.
Experts point out that the number of malnourished children - primarily from poor and marginalised communities - has increased. They stress the need for the government to use anganwadi centres to combat malnutrition.
While these centres play a crucial role in building a stronger India by supporting children’s physical and academic development, most of them are in poor condition. Experts highlight that numerous small and cramped centres lack essential facilities such as safe drinking water, proper washing areas, electricity, and basic hygiene practices.
The department recently improved the Anganwadi meal menu by adding nutritious items such as millet laddus and khichdi to promote better health among children. However, anganwadi workers say that many children refuse to eat them, as they do not find the food appealing.
According to Jayanthi N, an Anganwadi worker, in districts such as Yadgir and Kalaburagi, many infants do not receive any complimentary food along with breast milk until they are almost two years old.
Parents need to play an active role in caring for their infants. While children may eat together with others in anganwadi centres, it is equally important for parents to ensure that they are fed properly at home.
Speaking to TNIE, Nagasimha G Rao, director, Child Rights Trust, emphasised the importance of regular check-ups, the child’s diet, and even the mother’s diet during pregnancy to effectively tackle malnutrition.
The government should consider district-specific menus for anganwadi centres. “In some parts of the state, rice is a staple food, while in others, people rely more on millet or ragi,” he said.
This difference in dietary habits often leads to children either refusing to eat at home or in anganwadi centres. Moreover, anganwadi teachers must monitor food distribution closely. He said that by checking the quantity of food served, consumed, and left over each day, they can identify the nutritional needs of children.