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EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: Measuring hunger Across States

Measuring Hunger across States

 
Source: The Hindu
 
For Prelims: Global Hunger Index (GHI), State Hunger Index, Stunting, Malnutrition
For Mains: Schemes to address malnutrition and Stunting, National Family Health Survey-5, State of food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2022
 
Highlights of the Article
 Global Hunger Index (GHI)
State Hunger Index
National Family Health Survey-5
 State of food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2022
 
Context
The Global Hunger Index (GHI), 2022, India ranked 107 among 121 countries behind Nigeria and Pakistan
 
UPSC EXAM NOTES ANALYSIS:
 
1. Global Hunger Index
 

The GHI measures and tracks hunger and malnutrition at the global, regional, and national levels. It provides valuable insights into the state of hunger and food security worldwide.

The GHI assesses hunger based on four main indicators:

  1. Undernourishment: The percentage of the population that is undernourished and not receiving enough calories to meet their daily dietary energy requirements.

  2. Child Stunting: The percentage of children under the age of five who suffer from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition.

  3. Child Wasting: The percentage of children under the age of five who suffer from wasting, indicating acute malnutrition.

  4. Child Mortality: The mortality rate of children under the age of five, which can be influenced by malnutrition and related factors.

Each country's GHI score is calculated based on these indicators, and countries are ranked accordingly. A lower GHI score indicates better food security and lower levels of hunger
In the 2022 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 107th out of the 121 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2022 GHI scores. With a score of 29.1, India has a level of hunger that is serious.
2.State Hunger index
  • The State Hunger Index is calculated with the same Parameters used in the Global Hunger Index except Calorie Undernourishment which is replaced by the Body mass index (BMI)
  • BMI is a measure of an individual's body weight in relation to their height and is used to assess whether a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. It is a measure of individual health and nutrition rather than a component of broader hunger or food security indices.
  • BMI is computed from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) and Wave 1 of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (2017-2018)
  • The SHI scores range between 0 and 100 with a high score indicating more hunger, Scores below 10 means low hunger, 10-20 Moderate, 20-30 Serious, 30-40 Alarming, and 50 or above extremely alarming
  • Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh scored 35, which placed them in alarming category
  • Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, and West Bengal all scored above the National average (29)
 
3. Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the State Hunger Index (SHI)
The pandemic has caused widespread job losses, income reductions, and food insecurity. These factors have led to an increase in hunger in many states.
The impact of COVID-19 on the SHI has been uneven across states. Some states have seen larger increases in hunger than others. For example, the SHI score for Madhya Pradesh increased by 6.3 points between 2020 and 2021, while the SHI score for Kerala increased by only 1.6 points.
4. National Family Health Survey-5

The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) is the fifth in the series of nationwide surveys on health and family planning in India. It was conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The survey was conducted in two phases, from June 2019 to January 2020 and from January 2020 to April 2021.

The NFHS-5 gathered information from 636,699 households, 724,115 women, and 101,839 men. The survey covered a wide range of topics, including fertility, mortality, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and violence against women.

Some of the key findings of the NFHS-5 include:

  • The total fertility rate (TFR) has declined from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-21.
  • The infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined from 35 in 2015-16 to 27 in 2019-21.
  • The under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) has declined from 43 in 2015-16 to 34 in 2019-21.
  • The prevalence of anemia among women aged 15-49 has declined from 53% in 2015-16 to 50% in 2019-21.
  • The prevalence of stunting among children under the age of 5 has declined from 38% in 2015-16 to 35% in 2019-21.
  • The prevalence of wasting among children under the age of 5 has declined from 17% in 2015-16 to 14% in 2019-21
5.Conclusion
The NFHS-5 is a landmark survey that provides a comprehensive picture of the health of the people of India. The findings of the survey can be used to inform policies and programs to improve the health of the population and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Despite India's notable progress in alleviating extreme poverty over the past 15 years, as indicated by the National Multidimensional Poverty Index Challenges persist in Addressing the disparity in food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition 
 
 
 
Practice Questions
1.Evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on malnutrition among vulnerable populations in India. What measures should be taken to mitigate the long-term effects of the pandemic on nutrition?
2.Compare and contrast the concepts of acute malnutrition (wasting) and chronic malnutrition (stunting). What are the distinct challenges in addressing each of these forms of malnutrition, and how can they be effectively tackled?
3.Critically analyze the role of nutrition-sensitive interventions in reducing malnutrition in India. Provide examples of such interventions and their impact on nutritional outcomes

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