The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has called upon scientists, policy makers and planners to adopt new strategies to solve the problem of Malnutrition. It is considered as a looming threat to our development.
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu was addressing the valedictory session of the International Conference on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (ECDs), organized to mark the completion of centenary celebrations of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), in Hyderabad.
The Vice President talks about the difficulty in bringing about a change in age-old dietary habits of the people and suggested the involvement of local community at the grass roots to effectively convey the message for consumption of nutritious food.
He called upon the nutrition scientists to accord the highest priority to eliminating the triple burden of malnutrition comprising under-nutrition, over-nutrition and micronutrients deficiencies (hidden hunger), the Vice President wanted NIN to align its research with the National Nutrition Mission to improve the nutritional indicators of children, pregnant women and lactating women.
He asked NIN to look at newer vistas to make India a healthy nation and recalled renowned scientist Prof. M.S. Swaminathan’s suggestion that India needs to shift its focus from food security to nutrition security and eradicate three kinds of hunger-protein hunger (caused by protein deficiency), calorie hunger (caused by calories deficiency) and hidden hunger (caused by deficiency of micronutrients).
The Vice President urged the scientists and practitioners working in the fields of health, agriculture and nutrition to interact with each other regularly and exchange information and knowledge.
On pointing out that India was also facing the phenomenon of nutrition transition he said “it is indeed paradoxical that we are facing lifestyle disorders, including obesity, on the one hand and malnutrition on the other.”
He talked about the increase in non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
On the changing food habits with disproportionate instant and junk food components, he suggested that we should move towards a more active lifestyle involving physical exercise including the practice of Yoga and pay adequate attention to include more nutritional food in the diet.
The Vice President informed the scientists to work towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. He even urged scientists to create awareness among the people on the health hazards due to extensive use of pesticides in agriculture.
The other dignitaries present on the occasion were- The Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, Prof. (Dr.) Balram Bhargava, the Organizing Secretary & Coordinator, Dr. J. Padmaja, the Director, NIN, Hyderabad, Dr. Hemalatha.
