Hunger and malnutrition are often used interchangeably. However, starvation is simply one side of the story. Malnutrition is a condition where the body is unable to derive accurate quantity of nutrients from the food intake. And this inaccuracy necessarily does not mean lower than required levels alone; it can also suggest higher than acceptable range.
Malnutrition has been classified under two segments, namely – Under nutrition and Over nutrition.
- Under nutrition: A condition where the body does not receive sufficient amount of nutrients from food.
- Over nutrition: A condition where the body receives excess nutrients from the food intake.
Out of the two, under nutrition is more talked about and prevalent in India and other developing countries. Affluent countries on the other hand, have a large population suffering from over nutrition too.
Indian Medical experts are definitely having a tough time solving this burning issue of hunger, leading to under nutrition. It is a grave misfortune that infants and children constitute a major portion of malnourished India. Continue reading “Malnourished India – Know it to Fight it”