Background
In a bid to highlight the importance of a balanced diet to ensure the proper intake of nutrients, the National Nutrition Month is celebrated in the entire month of September across the country to mark the fight against malnutrition as “Rashtriya Poshan Maah” (National Nutrition Month) to emphasize the need for healthy nutrition which was started by the Union Government.
Key Focus
About National Nutrition Mission (NMM)
Purpose of ‘Poshan Maah’ is to take the message to every nook and corner of India and to focus on complimentary food, treatment and prevention from infections in children. POSHAN-Prime Minister’s Overreaching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment- Abhiyaan is a multi- ministerial convergence initiative with a vision to address malnutrition with a targeted approach by 2022
The mission has been initiated with a three year budget of Rs 9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18. The WCD Ministry is working on eight focused themes, which include correct and optimal breastfeeding, growth monitoring, hygiene and sanitation, food fortification and girls' education, diet and marriage at the right age. Nutritionists and dietician are working on developing innovative recipes that are affordable for people with lower means and these can be popularized through awareness programmed and training.
The ministry is working on eight focused themes like optimal, growth monitoring, hygiene and sanitation, food fortification and girls' education, diet and marriage at right age etc. to improve in nutritional status of children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. The policy was strongly backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who urged people to actively support the holistic nutrition campaign. The aim is to bring down stunting of children in the age group of 0-6 years from 38 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022.
This initiative sensitizes the public on healthy eating, addressing issues of malnutrition, undernutrition and obesity in some sections. Rashtriya Poshan Maah Themes was first announced by PM Modi in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programmed while speaking about malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers and to eliminate the deficiencies prevailing in the Health sector. It will also plan social audits, setting-up Nutrition Resource Centers and involving masses through Jan Andolan for more participation in nutrition through various activities, among others. Due to lack of awareness, both poor and affluent families are affected by it was also something PM highlighted. Sanitation, health and cleanliness drives is taken up across villages. There has been an alarming increase in non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, and widespread deficiencies of vitamins and minerals and rampant food-borne illnesses; and these problems need to be addressed at the earliest. During this month, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development will organize various programmed to spread broad awareness on all these issues.
States and union territories are gearing up, too: where once the theme was “supplementary diets,” to fulfil the daily minimum nutritional requirement of children.
Fast&Up Nutrition Consultant
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